David W. Emerich
Professor and Associate Chair of Biochemistry
Director of Undergraduate Studies
E-mail:emerichd@missouri.edu
Office: 226 Schweitzer Hall
Mail: Biochemistry
117 Schweitzer Hall
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: 573-882-4252
Fax: 573-882-5635
Lab: 573-771-9076
Educational background
| Degree | School | Location | Major |
| BS | University of Wisconsin | Madison, Wis. | Biochemistry |
| PhD | University of Wisconsin | Madison, Wis. | Biochemistry |
Notable honors and service
- Associate Chair, MU Department of Biochemistry
- Herman Frasch Foundation Research Fellow, 1981-86
- Gamma Sigma Delta Teaching Award, 1983
- CAFNR Teaching Award, Biochemistry Unit, 1993
- Alumni Faculty Development Incentive Award, 1993
- CAFNR Outstanding Advisor Award, 1994
- Member, Gamma Sigma Delta, 1995
- Faculty Technology Teaching Grant, 1995
- William T. Kemper Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching, 2000
Research description
Biochemical regulation of Bradyrhizobium japonicum during symbiotic development.
Current projects
Biochemical and genetic regulation of the metabolic processes that are required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation is the focus of this research program. Rhizobium-leguminous plant symbioses are unique associations in which both the bacteria and the plant undergo complex metabolic and morphological changes. My laboratory is attempting to identify these processes and to elucidate the mechanisms by which these changes are controlled. The primary goal is to determine which factors, genetic and/or biochemical, limit nitrogen fixation and thus plant growth and development. After these limitations are defined, the appropriate generic alterations will then be attempted to enhance plant productivity.
Specific projects include:
- Genomic analysis using oligonucleotide microarrays of the Bradyrhizobium japonicum genome
- Proteomic analysis of the proteins expressed during symbiotic development; and
- Metabolic analysis using 13C-NMR and combined chromatographic/mass spectral analyses.
A recent focus of the laboratory has been the elucidation of malate metabolism by the symbiotic form of B. japonicum which are referred to as bacteroids and the role of alanine excretion by bacteroids. Malate is the primary compound provided to the bacterorid by the plant and is believed to be metabolized via the citric acid cycle, but we have shown that neither α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase nor isocitrate dehydrogenase are required for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Thus, the pathway of malate metabolism to provide energy for reduction of atmospheric dinitrogen remains to be determined. Recently, we have shown that alanine, not ammonium, is the principle nitrogen compound provided to the plant by the bacteroid. The metabolism of B. japonicum is being characterized via DNA microarray and proteomic analysis.
Selected publications
L.S. Green, J. K. Waters, S. Ko, and D.W. Emerich. 2003. Comparative analysis of the Bradyrhizobium japonicum sucA region. Can. J. Microbiol. 49:237-243.
D.B. Karr, N.W. Oehrle and D.W. Emerich. 2003. Recovery of nitrogenase from aerobically isolated soybean nodule bacteroids. Plant and Soil. 257:27-33.
N.W. Oehrle, L.S. Green, D.B. Karr and D.W. Emerich. 2004. The HFC/HCFC breakdown product of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and its effects on the symbiosis between Bradyrhizobium japonicum and soybean (Glycine max). Soil Biol. Biochem. 36:333-342.
Chang W.S., Franck W.L., Cytryn E., Jeong S., Joshi T., Emerich D.W., Sadowsky M.J., Xu D., Stacey G. (2007) An oligonucleotide microarray resource for transcriptional profiling of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Mol. Plant Microbe Interact. 20 (10): 1298-307
Oehrle N.W., Sarma A.D., Waters J.K., Emerich D.W. (2008) Proteomic analysis of soybean nodule cytosol. Phytochemistry 69 (13): 2426-38
Sarma A.D., Oehrle N.W., Emerich D.W. (2008) Plant protein isolation and stabilization for enhanced resolution of two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Anal. Biochem. 379 (2): 192-5