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Educación: Ph.D., 2002, The Ohio State University | Especialidad: Biología Molecular | Oficina: B-048 | Tel: 787-832-4040 ext. 3113 | Fax: 787-834-3673 |
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| Click here for the lab webpage |
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Intereses de Educación | Responsible for teaching the following courses: Biol 3300 (Genetics),Biol 4039 (Plant Biotechnology) and Biol 5018 (Plant Physiology) | | Intereses de Investigación | Our research focuses on using molecular biology tools and tissue culture techniques to study plants. One project in the lab studies the environmental influence on the expression level of genes in the cyanogenic glucoside synthesis, breakdown and re-assimilation pathways of cassava. Similar quantitative study is also being conducted to measure the expression levels of the same genes between different cassava varieties that naturally contain low, medium and high levels of cyanide, respectively. A newly identified gene of the cyanide re-assimilation pathway is the focus of another project which aims to simultaneously reduce cyanogen content and increase the protein level in cassava using transgenic strategies. We are also exploring the function of this novel gene in Arabidopsis thaliana as well. Another main research focus of the lab is the use of SSR molecular markers to assess the genetic diversity of Puerto Rican cassava germplasm. This germplasm is being analyzed for its diversity as well as their relationship to known varieties from Central and South America, Africa and Asia. | |
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Publicaciones Recientes ( Ver Últimas 5 ) | • Montero, M., Ortiz, M., Beaver, J. and Siritunga, D. 2013. Genetic, Morphological and Cyanogen Content Evaluation of a New Collection of Caribbean Lima Bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) Landraces, Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution (accepted) | | Siritunga, D., Navas, V. and Diffoot, N. 2012. Enhancing Hispanic Minority Undergraduates’ Botany laboratory experiences: Implementation of an inquiry-based plant tissue culture module exercise. International Education Studies | | Zidenga, T., Leyva-Guerrero, E., Moon, H, Siritunga, D. and Sayre, R. 2012. Extending cassava root shelf life via reduction of reactive oxygen species production. Plant Physiology 159:1-13 | | Failla, M., Chitchumroonchokchai, C., Siritunga, D., De Moura, F., Fregene, M., Manary, M. and Sayre, R. 2012. Retention during Processing and Bioaccessibility of β-Carotene in High β-Carotene Transgenic Cassava Root, Journal of Agric. Food Chem | | Salcedo, A. and Siritunga, D. 2011. Insights into the Physiological, Biochemical and Molecular Basis of Postharvest Deterioration in Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Roots, American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 1(4): 414-431 | | Narayanan, N., Ihemre, U., Chiu, W., Siritunga, D., Rajamani, S., Singh, S., Oda, S. and Sayre, R. 2011. The Iron Assimilatory Protein, FEA1, from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Facilitates Iron-Specific Metal Uptake in Yeast and Plants, Frontiers in Plant Biotechnology (2:67 | | Siritunga, D., Montero-Rojas, M., Carrero, K., Toro, G., Vélez, A. and Carrero-Martínez, A. 2011. Culturally relevant research to the masses: Large-scale laboratory module implementations in upper-division genetics and cell biology teaching laboratories, Life Science Education Journal, 10: 287-297 | | Montero Rojas, M., Correa, A. and Siritunga, D. 2011. Molecular differentiation and diversity of cassava (Manihot esculenta) taken from 162 locations across Puerto Rico and assessed with microsatellite markers. Annals of Botany Plants | | Sayre, R., Beeching, J., Cahoon, E., Egesi, C., Fauquet, C., Fellman, J., Fregene, M., Gruissem, W., Mallowa, S., Manary, M., Maziya-Dixon, B., Mbanaso, A., Shachtman, D., Siritunga, D., Taylor, N., Vanderschuren, H., Zhang, P. 2011. The BioCassava Plus Program: Biofortification of Cassava for Sub-Saharan Africa, Annual Review of Plant Biology, 62: 251-271 | | Abhary, M., Siritunga, D., Stevens, G., Taylor, N.J., Fauquet, C.M. 2011. Transgenic Biofortification of the Starchy Staple Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Generates a Novel Sink for Protein. PLoS ONE 6(1) | | Salcedo, A., Del Valle, A., Sanchez, B., Ocasio, V., Ortiz, A., Marquez, P. and Siritunga, D. 2010. Comparative evaluation of physiological post-harvest root deterioration of 25 cassava (Manihot esculenta) accessions: visual vs hydroxycoumarins fluorescent accumulation analysis. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 5: 3138-3144 | | Marrero-Degro, J., Marcano, J. and Siritunga, D. 2010. Isolation and Characterization of Novel β-Cyanoalanine Synthase and Cysteine Synthase Genes from Cassava. Plant Molecular Biology Reported, 29: 514-524 | | Siritunga, D. and Sayre, R. 2007. Transgenic Approaches for Cyanogen Reduction in Cassava, Journal of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. (Submitted) | | Msikita, W., Ihemre, U., Siritunga, D. and Sayre, R.T. 2006. Cassava (Manihot esculenta Cranz) Transformation. In: Agrobacterium Protocols: Methods in Molecular Biology. vol. 44. Kan Wang, ed. Humana Press. | | Siritunga, D. 2005. Genetic engineering of the cyanogenic pathway in cassava In: Plant Genetic Engineering Vol 8: Metabolic engineering and Molcular farming-II, Studium Press LLC, P O Box 722200, Houston, Texas 770072, USA pp 11-141 | | Siritunga, D. and Sayre, R. 2004. Engineering cyanogens in cassava. Plant Molecular Biology, 56: 661-669. | | Siritunga, D., Arias-Garcon, D., White, W. & Sayre, R. 2004. Over-expression of hydroxynitrile lyase in transgenic cassava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz) roots accelerates cyanogenesis. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 2: 37-43. | | Siritunga, D. and Sayre, R. 2003. Domestication of cassava: Generation of cyanogen-free cassava. Planta, 217: 367-373. | | Campbell, K.G., Finney, P.L., Bergman, C.J., Gualberto, D. G., Anderson, J.A., Giroux, M.J., Siritunga, D., Zhu, J., Gendre, F., Roué, C., Vérel, A. and Sorrells, M.E. 2001. Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Milling and Baking Quality in a Soft x Hard Wheat Cross. Crop Science, 41: 1275-1285. | | Samimy, C., Bjorkman, T., Siritunga, D. and Blanchard, L. 1996. Overcoming the barrier to interspecific hybridization of Fagopyrum esculentum with Fagopyrum esculentum with F. tataricum. Euphytica, 91: 323-330. | |
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