Associate Professor of Biochemistry
B.S. Ed. (Zoology), University of Florida,
1965
M.S. (Zoology), University of Florida, 1968
Ph.D. (Biology/Biochemistry), The Johns Hopkins University, 1974
Special Topics in Biochemistry - “Experiments with GFP – The Art and the Science”
This special lab course was designed with the younger (12-17 years), profoundly gifted student in mind. It is also recommended for early-admitted first-year matriculated students at Rutgers University’s New Brunswick campus. Admission is by instructor permission only.
In small groups, students will extract, purify, and characterize, a novel florescent protein (GFP) from freshly collected NJ shore jellyfish. If successful, the work may be publishable. This course will include a day-long jellyfish-collecting field trip to a protected South Jersey bay in Stone Harbor, led by professional naturalists, on July 13. Science will be combined with art as participants create (and take home) matted and framed artistic wall hangings made from real jellyfish.
Course #: 11:115:433:H1: Index # 95281
Meeting dates: Monday through Friday, July 11 – July 29
Meeting times: 9 a.m. to noon
Meeting place: Lipman Hall, Cook Campus
Trip fee: $100 for July 13 field trip to Shore Harbor
Maximum enrollment: 20
Registration: By permission of instructor only.
Green
fluroescent protein and applications of bioluminescence
Our current research interests fall
into two categories: 1) the elucidation of biochemical components in
the bioluminescence of coelenterates and 2) the application of this
knowledge in developing practical genetically-based assays for gene
expression.
1. We are currently completing the characterization of a bioluminescence
energy transfer system involving a unique chromoprotein known as the
green-fluorescent protein (Chalfie et al., 1994). Fluorescence involves
a post-translationally modified tripeptide in the primary sequence of
the protein (Cody et al., 1993). We have recently proposed an evolutionary
relationship between the biosynthetic pathways of luciferin and GFP
(Ward & McCapra, 1993).
2. The GFP gene has been cloned and is expressed as an inheritable fluorescent
cell marker in all species tested. (Chalfie et al., 1994). We now have
reason to believe that luciferin is also genetically encoded. Thus,
it may be possible to establish a nearly universal in vivo bioluminescence
assay for gene promotion, induction and repression and to design a bioluminescent
"Ames test" or "Rec-assay" based on the coelenterate
bioluminescence system.
Recent Publications
- Chalfie, M.,
Tu, Y., Euskirchen, G., Ward, W.W. and Prasher, D.C. (1994). Green
fluorescent protein as a marker for gene expression. Science 263:802-805.
- Cody, C.W., Prasher,
D.C., Westler, W.M., Prendergast, F.G. and Ward, W.W. (1993). Chemical
structure of the hexapeptide chromophore of the Aequorea green-fluorescent
protein. Biochemistry 32:1212-1218.
- Prasher, D.C.,
Eckenrode, V.K., Ward, W.W., Prendergast, F.G. and Cormier, M.J. (1992).
Primary structure of the Aequorea victoria green-fluorescent protein.
Gene 111:229-233.
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