Starrett Laboratory
Department of Biology, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape
Girardeau, MO 63701
Current Laboratory Projects:
- Cloning of full length clones for alpha- and beta-galactosidase from ripening avocado
fruit. The work is being done by Daniel Jung, John Mayfield, Michelle Dachsteiner,
and Laura Weiss.
- Assembly of anti-sense constructs of avocado alpha- and beta-galactosidase. The
work is being carried out by Matt Jaynes.
- Cloning of a full length clone of alpha-galactosidase from ripening tomato fruit.
- Characterization of avocado ripening-related cDNA clones isolated from a differentially
screened avocado cDNA library. See Starrett
DA, Laties GG (1993) for information on isolation of the clones. Work is being carried
out by David Starrett.
- Characterization of avocado fruit cell walls during ripening. Work is being carried out
by Ben Glaus and Daniel Jung.
- Characterization of avocado endochitinase and its role as a major avocado allergen.
Current Laboratory Members:
- Ben Glaus - Masters student at Southeast Missouri State University - Avocado cell
wall changes during ripening
- Daniel Jung - Senior at Southeast Missouri State University and graduate of the
University of Missouri, Columbia- Cloning beta-galactosidase from avocado fruit and
characterization of cell wall changes during avocado ripening.
- John Mayfield - Sophomore at Southeast Missouri State University - Cloning
alpha-galactosidase from avocado fruit
- Michelle Dachsteiner - Junior at Southeast Missouri State University - Cloning
beta-galactosidase from avocado fruit
- Laura Weiss - Senior at Southeast Missouri State University - Cloning
alpha-galactosidase from avocado fruit
- Matt Jaynes - Senior at Southeast Missouri State University - Assembling alpha-
and beta-galactosidase antisense constructs
Former Laboratory Members:
- Sue Hum-Musser - Masters student at Southeast Missouri State University - Cloning
beta-galactosidase from avocado fruit. Currently a doctoral student at the
University of Arkansas
- Nathan Springer - Undergraduate student at Southeast Missouri State University -
Cloning alpha-galactosidase from avocado and tomato fruit. Currently a doctoral
student at the University of Minnesota
- Keith Rice - Cloning alpha- and beta-galactosidase from avocado fruit.
Currently in dental school at the University of Indiana
Presentations of Laboratory Accomplishments:
- Hum-Musser S, Springer NM, Gross KC, Starrett DA (1997) Cloning and characterization of
avocado beta-galactosidase. American Society of Plant Physiologists
annual meeting, Vancouver, BC August, 1997
- Springer NM, Hum-Musser S, Gross KC, Starrett DA (1996) PCR amplification and
cloning of avocado alpha-galactosidase. Missouri Academy of Sciences, Springfield, MO,
April, 1996
- Springer NM, Hum-Musser S, Gross KC, Starrett DA (1996) PCR amplification and
cloning of avocado alpha-galactosidase. Southeast Missouri State University Student
Research Conference, April, 1996
- Springer NM, Starrett DA, Hum-Musser S, Gross KC (1996) PCR amplification and cloning of avocado
alpha-galactosidase. American Society of Plant Physiologists annual meeting, San
Antonio, TX, July, 1996
- Hum-Musser S, Starrett DA, Springer NM, Gross KC (1996) PCR amplification and cloning of avocado
beta-galactosidase. American Society of Plant Physiologists annual meeting, San
Antonio, TX, July, 1996
Maintained by Dr. David
Starrett
Comments, questions, suggestions? email: dstarret@biology.semo.edu