The University of Georgia Plant Center
Plant Center Faculty: Debra Mohnen
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Ph.D. (1985) University of Illinois
Phone: 706-542-4458
Email: dmohnen@ccrc.uga.edu
Research in the Mohnen Lab
Biosynthesis and biological functions of pectin.
Lab Members
Name
Title
Name
Title
Names
Titles
Debra Mohnen
Associate Professor
Awards
???
Research Interests
The study of plant cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis. Current emphasis is on studying the enzyme that synthesizes homogalacturonan, a major component of pectin in the cell wall.
Selected Publications
Sterling, J.D., M.A. Atmodjo, S.E. Inwood, V.S.K. Kolli, H.F. Quigley, M.G. Hahn, and D. Mohnen. 2006. Functional identification of an Arabidopsis pectin biosynthetic homogalacturonan galacturonosyltransferase. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 103: 5236-5241.
Sterling, J.D., J.A. Lemons, I.F. Forkner, and D. Mohnen. 2005. Development of a filter assay for measuring homogalacturonan:a-1,4-galacturonosyltransferase activity. Anal. Biochem. 343: 231-236.
Guillaumie, F., J.D. Sterling, K.J. Jensen, O.R.T. Thomas, and D. Mohnen. 2003. Solid-supported enzymatic synthesis of pectic oligogalacturonides and their analysis by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Carbohydr. Res. 338: 1951-1960.
Mohnen, D. 2002. Biosynthesis of pectins. In: GB Seymour, JP Knox, eds Pectins and their Manipulation. Blackwell Publishing and CRC Press, Oxford, pp 52-98.
Sterling, J., H.F. Quigley, A. Orellana, and D. Mohnen. 2001. The catalytic site of the pectin biosynthetic enzyme a-1,4-galacturonosyltransferase (GalAT) is located in the lumen of the Golgi. Plant Physiol. 127: 360-371.
Ridley, B.L., M.A. O'Neill, and D. Mohnen. 2001. Pectins: structure, biosynthesis, and oligogalacturonide-related signaling. Phytochemistry 57: 929-967.
Goubet, F. and D. Mohnen. 1999. Subcellular localization and topology of homogalacturonan methyltransferase in suspension-cultured Nicotiano tabacum cells. Planta 209: 112-117.
Goubet, F. and D. Mohnen. 1999. Solubilization and partial characterization of homogalacturonan-methyltransferase from microsomal membranes of suspension-cultured tobacco cells. Plant Physiol. 121: 281-290.
Orellana, A. and D. Mohnen. 1999. Enzymatic synthesis and purification of [3H] uridine diphosphate galacturonic acid for use in studying Golgi-localized transporters. Anal. Biochem. 272: 224-231.
