ALISON M. BERRY

Professor                                                                                       Telephone 916-752-7683
Department of Environmental Horticulture                                 Fax 916-752-1819
University of California                                                                 email: amberry@ucdavis.edu
One Shields Ave.
Davis, CA 95616 U.S.A.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

 My current research effort is focused largely on nitrogen-fixing plants, primarily trees and shrubs nodulated by the soil actinomycete, Frankia (for example Alnus, Ceanothus, Cercocarpus, Purshia), but also including some legumes. 1. Assessment of the role and mechanism of nitrogen-fixing plants in N accretion in semiarid ecosystems and agroecosystems. Nitrogen-fixing root nodule symbioses can facilitate restoration of disturbed sites following fire, landslide, or anthropogenic disturbance, by increasing soil nitrogen and carbon. We are following the flux of nitrogen from fixers to non-fixers in a semiarid ecosystem in southwestern Colorado, using several experimental approaches. We are currently also synthesizing the results from a 3-year project studying nitrogen fluxes in almond orchards with legumes used as cover-crops. 2. Plant-microbe interactions in symbiotic biological nitrogen fixation. Ongoing research in my laboratory is concerned with plant-microbe interactions during nodulation and nitrogen fixation. Rhizosphere signals important for nodulation have not been characterized in actinorhizal plants, and I continue to examine the effects of flavonoid compounds on patterns of nodulation by Frankia. We have already characterized a number of temporal and spatial patterns of nodule-enhanced plant gene expression, and I anticipate continuing work at the level of gene expression, both of the host and Frankia.

Oxygen is a key environmental factor regulating nitrogen fixation which I have studied from a biochemical and developmental standpoint. I continue to investigate the molecular basis of oxygen regulation in Frankia. Obtaining gene sequence information for Frankia is a priority, to enhance future research possibilities.

EDUCATION

B.A.(magna cum laude) Anthropology Radcliffe College 1970

M.S. Botany Univ. of Massachusetts 1978

Ph.D. Botany Univ. of Massachusetts 1983
 
 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

1999 - present Professor, Dept. of Env. Horticulture, Univ. of California, Davis

1998 - 1999 Program Director, Metabolic Biochemistry, National Science Foundation

1991 - 1998 Assoc. Professor, Dept. of Env. Horticulture, Univ. of California, Davis

1984 - 1991 Asst. Professor, Dept. of Env. Horticulture, Univ. of California, Davis

1982 - 1984 Postdoctoral Associate, Dept. of Biology, Carleton Univ., Ontario, Can.

1979 - 1982 Research Assistant, Harvard Forest, Harvard University, Petersham, Ma

HONORS, AWARDS, ELECTIONS

 Program Director, National Science Foundation (1998-1999) Visiting Professor, Stockholm University, Sweden, 1997 (fall)

Visiting Professor, University of Lyon, France, 1996 (spring)

National Merit Scholar, 1966-1970

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

Panel Member, Metabolic Biochemistry, National Science Foundation (1995-1996)

 Review manuscripts for: American Journal of Botany, Applied and Env. Microbiology, Archives of Microbiology, Canadian Journal of Botany, Planta, Plant and Soil, Physiologia Plantarum, Plant Physiology, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Review grant proposals for: National Science Foundation, USDA-NRICGO, National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).
 
 

Selected Publications

Nalin R, Putra SR, Domenach AM, Rohmer M, Gourgiere F and Berry AM. In press. High hopanoid/total lipids ratio in Frankia is not related to the nitrogen status. Microbiology.

Okubara PA, NA Fujishige, AM Hirsch and A M Berry, 2000. Dg93, a nodule-abundant mRNA of Datisca glomerata with homology to a soybean ENOD. Plant Physiol. 122: 1073-1080.

Marechal J, B Clement, R Nalin, R Gandon, S Orso, H Cvejic, M Bruneteau, A Berry and P Normand. 2000. A recA gene analysis confirms the closer proximity of Frankia to Acidothermus than to Geodermatophilus. Int J of Systematic &Evol Microbiol 50 : 781-785.

Edberg RJ and AM Berry. 1999. Patterns of structural failures in urban trees: coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia). J. Arboriculture, V. 25 (1): 48-55.

Okubara, PA; Pawlowski K; Murphy TM; Berry AM. 1999. Symbiotic root nodules of the actinorhizal plant Datisca glomerata express Rubisco activase mRNA. Plant Physiology (Rockville), v.120, n.2: 411-420.

Okubara PA and AM Berry. 1999. An mRNA (Acc. No. AF119050) from symbiotic root nodules of Datisca glomerata with homology to zinc finger transcription factor genes. (PGR99-043). Plant Physiol. 119: 1149.

Stroeve P, CD Pettit, V Vasquez, I Kim and AM Berry. 1998. Surface active behavior of hopanoid lipids: Bacteriohopanetetrol and phenylacetate monoester bacteriohopanetetrol. Langmuir 14:4261-4265.

Turner GW, AM Berry and EM Gifford. 1998. Schizogenous secretory cavities of Citrus limon (L.) Burm. F. and a reevaluation of the lysigenous gland concept. International Journal of Plant Sciences 159:75-88.

Berry AM. 1998. Oxygen relations in Frankia and in Actinorhizal nodules p 357-358. IN C. Elmerich, et al (Eds) Biological NitrogenFixation for the 21st Century, Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.

Nalin R, AM Domenach, A Berry, F Gourbière and P Normand. 1998. Distribution of Frankia spp. in soil and their hopanoid contents, p. 355-356. IN C. Elmerich, et al (Eds) Biological Nitrogen Fixationfor the 21st Century, Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.

Jacobs KA, JD MacDonald, AM Berry and LR Costello. 1997. The effect on low oxygen stress in Phytophthora cinnamomi infection and disease of cork oak roots. USDA Forest Service General Technology Reports, PSW-GTR-160, 553-557.

Jacobs KA, JD MacDonald, AM Berry and LR Costello. 1997. Rooting responses of three oak species to low oxygen stress. USDA Forest Service General Technology Reports, PSW-GTR-160, 91-99.

Berry, A.M. 1997. The uses of nitrogen-fixing actinorhizal plants in ecosystem management. Conference on global sustainability of bio-production systems, Okayama, Japan

Gherbi H, E Duhoux, C Franche, K Pawlowski, A Nassar, AM Berry and D Bogusz. 1997. Cloning of a full-length symbiotic hemoglobin cDNA and in situ localization of the corresponding mRNA in Casurina glauca root nodule. Physiologia Plantarum 99:608-616.

Benoit LF and AM Berry. 1997. Flavonoid-like compounds from seeds of red alder (Alnus rubra) influence host nodulation by Frankia (Actinomycetales). Physiologia Plantarum 99:588-593.

Wang HY and AM Berry. 1996. Plant regeneration from leaf segments of Datisca glomerata. Acta Bot. Gallica 143 (7) 609-612.

Carrasco, A., J.R. Salyards and A.M. Berry. 1995. Studies of two Frankia strains isolated from Trevoa trinervis Miers. Plant and Soil 171:359-363.

Berry, A.M. 1995. Biological nitrogen fixation and soil fertility in southwestern lands: implications for Anasazi agriculture p. 139-143. IN H. Wolcott Toll, (Ed.) Soil, Water, Biology, AndBelief In Prehistoric And TraditionalSouthwestern Agriculture. New Mexico Archaeological Council.

Kleemann, G., G. Alskog, A.M. Berry and K. Huss-Danell. 1994. Lipid composition and nitrogenase activity of symbiotic Frankia (Alnus incana) in response to different oxygen concentrations. Protoplasma 183:107-115.

Berry, A.M. Recent developments in the actinorhizal symbioses. 1994. Plant and Soil 161:135-145.

Berry AM, OT Harriott, RA Moreau, S Osman, DR Benson, and AD Jones. 1993. Hopanoid lipids comprise the Frankia vesicle envelope, presumptive barrier of oxygen diffusion to nitrogenase. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci (U.S.). 90: 6091-6094.

Berry, A.M., R.A. Moreau and A.D. Jones. 1991. Bacteriohopanetetrol: abundant lipid in Frankia cells and in nitrogen-fixing nodule tissue. Plant Physiology 95:111-115.

Thomas, K. A. and A.M. Berry. 1989. Effects of continuous nitrogen application and nitrogen preconditioning on nodulation and growth of Ceanothus griseus var. horizontalis. Pl. Soil 118, 181-187.