Prof. J.K.C. Rose, his group and collaborators are studying some aspects of the coevolving molecular arms race between plants and their microbial pathogens

                                                     Studies of Endoglucanase and glucanase inhibitors

References:

    “Selection on Glycine b-1,3-endoglucanase genes differentially inhibited by Phytophthora glucanase inhibitor protein. ”J.G. Bishop, D.R. Ripoll, S. Bashir, C.M.B. Damasceno, J.D. Seeds and J.K.C. Rose. (2005).  Genetics. 169, 1009-1019.  [pdf]

"Structure of the Glucanase Inhibitor Protein (GIP) Family from Phytophthora Species and Co-evolution with Plant Endo-b-1,3-Glucanases" .C.M.B. Damasceno, J.G. Bishop, D.R. Ripoll, J. Win, S. Kamoun, and J.K.C. Rose. (2007). MPMI  (submitted)  (see movie).

A enzyme newly discovered in Prof. Rose group may have have important applications in the production of bio-fuels.

References:

“The plant endo-b-1,4-glucanase family includes a subclass with a distinct carbohydrate binding module that binds crystalline cellulose.” B.R. Urbanowicz, C. Catalá, D. Irwin, D.B. Wilson, D.R. Ripoll and J.K.C. Rose (2007). J. Biol. Chem. 282, 12066-12074. [pdf]