Educational Background
Senior Biological Sciences Major, University of Missouri, Columbia,
MO
Research Interests
Cyst nematodes secrete proteins from their esophageal gland cells
through the stylet into root tissue to facilitate parasitism. These
proteins are released within the vicinity of the initial feeding cell
are believed to trigger the formation of syncytia. Previously, more
than 60 soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) gland
cell-expressed genes were identified by coupling microaspiration with
cDNA library construction. Many of these genes constitute completely
novel sequences with unknown function. My research is to analyze the
function of the secreted proteins, specifically 2D01. I am currently
characterizing the function of nematode 2D01 gene in more
detail.
Honors and Awards
MURF Fellow (Monsanto Undergraduate
Research Fellow)
Presentations
Smith D.O.,
Wang J., Replogle A., Mitchum, M.G. 2005. Functional analysis of the
candidate nematode parasitism gene 2D01. Undergraduate Research
and Creative Achievements Forum, Columbia , MO (Poster).
Smith D.O., Wang J., Replogle A., Mitchum, M.G. 2006.
Functional characterization of nematode secreted proteins in plant
parasitism. Annual Biomedical Research Conference Minority Students
2006 , Anneheim , CA (Poster).
