ResearchResearchI am a senior research scientist in the lab group of Dr. Sharon R. Long. Our group studies the symbiotic, nitrogen-fixing bacterium, Sinorhizobium meliloti and its leguminous host plants (members of the genera, Medicago, Trigonella, Melilotus.) My research projects include characterization of symbiotic genes, regulatory circuits, S. meliloti genomics and global expression analysis.
Left: Alfalfa root stained with propidium iodide, 48 hours after inoculation with Sinorhizobium meliloti. The actively dividing cells of the nodule stain pink. Photo by Melanie Barnett.
Right: Alfalfa nodule elicited by an S. meliloti strain containing a syrA::uidA fusion.This hand section was stained with X-gluc; the plant cells containing bacteriods stain blue. Photo by Melanie Barnett.
Left: Longitudinal section of 3-day-old emergent alfalfa nodule stained with DAPI & acridine orange, showing actively dividing cells. Photo by Melanie Barnett.