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James F. Preston

James F. Preston

Professor, Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida

Phone: (352) 392-5923

Fax: (352) 392-5922

P.O. Box 110700
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-0700

http://microcell.ifas.ufl.edu/personnel/faculty/preston.shtml

Education:

Ph.D. Biochemicstry, University of Minnesota

Research Interests:

1) Selection of bacterial enzymes for the depolymerization of plant biomass and its fermentative conversion to alternative fuels and bio-based products. Cloning and expression of endoxylanases in bacterial biocatalysts for conversion of glucuronoxylan polymers of the hemicellulose fraction of hardwoods and crop residues to alternative fuels and biobased products. 2) Evolution of molecular mechanisms involved in obligate parasitic relationships of Pasteuria spp. with phytopathogenic nematodes and claderocerans. The goal of this effort is to develop protocols to apply Pasteuria spp. as alternatives to chemical nematicides for the control of root-knot and other phytopathogenic nematodes. 3) Molecular mechanisms associated with formation of bacterial biofilms. Formation and function of Beta-1,6-poly-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine in bacteria, including plant pathogenic species of Xanthomonas, e.g. the causative agents of citrus canker (X. axonopodis pv. citri) and bacterial spot on pepper and tomato (X. vesicatoria).

Publications List:

  • Bi C, Zhang X, Ingram LO, Preston JF., Genetic engineering of Enterobacter asburiae strain JDR-1 for efficient production of ethanol from hemicellulose hydrolysates. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2009 Sep; 75 (18):5743-9.
  • St John FJ, Godwin DK, Preston JF, Pozharski E, Hurlbert JC., Crystallization and crystallographic analysis of Bacillus subtilis xylanase C.,Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun. 2009 May 1; 65 (Pt 5):499-503.
  • Nong G, Rice JD, Chow V., Preston JF., Aldouronate utilization in Paenibacillus sp. strain JDR-2: Physiological. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2009 Jul; 75 (13):4410-8.
  • Qi W, Nong G, Preston JF, Ben-Ami F, Ebert D., Comparative metagenomics of Daphnia symbionts., BMC Genomics. 2009 Apr 21;10:172.
  • Bi C, Rice JD, Preston JF., Complete fermentation of xylose and methylglucuronoxylose derived from methylglucuronoxylan by Enterobacter asburiae strain JDR-1. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2009 Jan;75 (2):395-404.