Roger Beachy

Roger Beachy, Ph.D., is the former Director of the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), part of the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. As founding president of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, he was responsible for setting the scientific mission of the Center. Beachy is recognized for his work in molecular virology, gene expression and for development of virus-resistant transgenic plants. Beachy is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and Science Academy, among others, and a recipient of the prestigious Wolf Prize in Agriculture.

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Research

The research group investigates the cellular and molecular mechanisms of virus infection in plants and develops strategies to control virus diseases. Knowledge of how viruses enter plant cells, are replicated, and spread throughout the plant will help combat these pathogens. Virus research has also discovered methods for making use of plant viruses as carriers of vaccines. Other research includes characterizing functional activities of transcription factors and developing a chemical gene switching system for use in plants.

For details about Dr. Shunhong Dai’s research, please click here.

Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)
Team Members: R.N. Beachy, M. J. Soto-Aguilar, B. A. Kelly.

Our research centers around the role of the movement protein of the model virus TMV (tobacco mosaic virus) in virus infection. Plant viruses depend on one or more proteins to facilitate their spread from cell to cell. TMV includes a gene coding for a movement protein (MP) which is required for cell to cell movement of TMV infection. The goal of the TMV MP research program is to identify the functions of MP and the viral and host components with which it interacts. This information will aid in developing strategies for preventing viral infection in transgenic plants. The MP research program consists of two main areas of investigation: studies to identify how and where MP is localized within plant cells during infection and studies of the three-dimensional structure of MP to identify components that are essential for function.

Developing Sweet Potato Plants with Enhanced Virus Resistance for Africa
Team Members: R. N. Beachy, M. J. Soto-Aguilar, B. A. Kelly.

The goal of this effort is to improve food security in East Africa by producing a sweetpotato variety that is resistant to the sweet potato virus disease (SPVD) that is so destructive in the region. SPVD is a mixed infection involving at least two unrelated viruses and depends upon the inactivation of host defenses by one of the viruses, Sweet potato chlorotic stunt virus (SPCSV, crinivirus). The disease is most devastating when plants are co-infected with SPCSV and Sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV, potyvirus), with such double infection usually resulting in near complete crop loss. There is little natural resistance to SPVD in sweetpotato, and virus resistant varieties are not available. Despite the diverse, synergistic nature of SPVD, we hypothesize that a combination of viral protein-mediated and siRNA-mediated protection strategies, targeting these two pathogens, will reduce the severity of crop loss and the likelihood of epidemic spread.

Gene Switch Technology
Team Members: R. N. Beachy, Jaemo Yang, Zhonglian (Julie) Huang

Gene switching technologies can be used to control expression of target genes in response to addition of a small molecule ligand, and have been used to control plant growth and development, to induce resistance to diseases, to induce or suppress specific metabolic pathways, etc.

The plant gene switch system (PGSS) used in our studies is based on the chimeric protein VGE: VP16 activator domain (V), the Gal4 DNA binding domain (G), and the ecdysone receptor (E) from Cloristoneura fumiferana that responds to the presence of the inducer. The inducing ligand used in this system is methoxyfenozide (MOF), a compound approved for environmental use.

Our recent studies are designed to develop PGSS technologies for plant friendly systems and tissue specific expression of genes: 1) we examine an activation domain from a rice b-ZIP transcription factor to replace the VP16 activator domain; 2) we develop gene constructs that cause tissue specific expression such as in green tissues, vascular tissues, cotyledons of seeds, and root tissues. In addition, as target genes in this study we include several different reporter genes, and genes that encode enzymes in several pathways, including in the lignin biosynthesis, anthocyanin biosynthesis and epidermal wax accumulation. Some of the genes will reduce expression of specific genes, and others will increase gene expression or cause expression of novel genes. Furthermore, we are applying this system to model species as well as other plants.

Folate Biofortification of Plants
Jaemo Yang, Ph.D.

Folate cofactors are essential in synthesis of purine, pyrimidne, serine, glycine and methionine. Inadequate intake of folates has been linked to birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, megaloblastic anemia, impaired cognitive development, cancer and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. According to March of Dimes, in the USA each year 3,000 pregnancies are affected by neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. This number is 10-20 times higher in developing countries. In humans and animals folate is a dietary requirement because we are unable to synthesize this vitamin. On the other hand, plants and certain microbes can synthesize folate de novo. Legumes and green leafy vegetables are good sources of folates but are not the primary source of calories in diets for the majority of the population globally. Staple grains such as rice, wheat, and maize are very low in folate content. Folate content is also low in tuber and root tuber crops such as potato, sweetpotato and cassava. Biofortification of staple crops is a cost efficient way to improve micronutrient deficiency specifically in developing nations where lack of infrastructure prevents commercial fortification and distribution of vitamin supplements. Our long term research goal is to enhance folate contents in cereal and tuber crops. Our current research focus is biofortification of folate in sweetpotato.

Gene Regulation and Stress Responses
Shunhong Dai, Ph.D.

Our group is focusing on understanding how plant physiology is affected under stress conditions, what kind of impacts physiological changes have on plant growth and development, and how to minimize stress-induced negative effects by genetic engineering.

Technologies available for license: