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Trevor C. Charles

Professor, Associate Chair (Graduate Studies)

BSc (Microbiology) University of British Columbia, 1985

PhD (Biology) McMaster University, 1991

Postdoc. (Microbiology) University of Washington, 1991-1993

Assistant Professor, Dept of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, 1993-1998

Email:  tcharles@uwaterloo.ca
Tel:     (519) 888-4567 x35606

Office:  B1 377C

Research Interests

The general research area is bacterial molecular genetics. We have a particular interest in members of the Rhizobiales order of the Alphaproteobacteria, such as Sinorhizobium meliloti, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and Ochrobactrum anthropi. These organisms are able to interact with eukaryal hosts in symbiotic or pathogenic relationships, and share several genetic factors that direct these relationships. We are using comparative and functional genomics approaches to investigate some of these genetic factors so that we can improve our understanding of these complex interactions. We also use genomics approaches to investigate the functions of members of the large family of SDR (short chain dehydrogenase / reductase) enzymes. Our research on functional genomics of microbial communities is directed towards the design and implementation of functional screens for metabolic functions.

 

Recent Publications

 

56. Bélanger, L., Dimmick, K.A., Fleming, J.S., Charles, T.C. 2009. Null mutations in Sinorhizobium meliloti exoS and chvI demonstrate the importance of this two-component regulatory system for symbiosis. Mol. Microbiol. (in press).

55. Hao, Y., Winans, S.C., Glick, B.R., Charles, T.C. 2009. Identification and characterization of new LuxR/LuxI-type quorum sensing systems from metagenomic libraries. Environ. Microbiol. (in press).

54. Biglari, M., Scharer, J.M., Nicholson, R.V., Charles, T.C. 2009. Evaluation of bacterial community structure and its influence on sulfide oxidation in a bio-leaching environment. Geomicrobiol. J. 26:44-54.

53. Lee, K.D., Gray, E.J., Mabood, F., Jung, W.-J., Charles, T., Clark, S.R.D., Ly, A., Souleimanov, A., Zhou, X., Smith, D.L. 2009. The class IId bacteriocin thuricin-17 increases plant growth. Planta 229:747-755.

52. Duan, J., Müller, K.M., Charles, T.C., Vesely, S., Glick, B.R. 2009. 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase genes in rhizobia from southern Saskatchewan. Microb. Ecol. 57:423-436.

51. Jacob, A.I., Adham, S.A.I., Capstick, D.S., Clark, S.R.D., Spence, T., Charles, T.C. 2008. Mutational analysis of the Sinorhizobium meliloti SDR family reveals substantial contribution to symbiosis and catabolic diversity. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 21:979-987.

50. Hao, Y., Charles, T.C., Glick, B.R. 2007. ACC deaminase from plant growth-promoting bacteria affects grown gall development. Can. J. Microbiol. 53:1291-1299.

49. Wang, C., Sheng, X., Equi, R.C., Trainer, M.A., Charles, T.C., Sobral, B.W.S. 2007. Influence of the PHB granule-associated proteins (PhaP) on PHB accumulation and symbiotic nitrogen fixation in Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm1021. J. Bacteriol. 189:9050-9056.

48. Safronova, V., Chizhevskaya, E., Bullitta, S., Andronov, E., Belimov, A., Charles, T., Lindström, K. 2007. Presence of a novel 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer insert in Bradyrhizobium canariense strains. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 267:207-212.

47. Wang, C., Saldanha, M., Sheng, Y., Shelswell, K.J., Walsh, K.T., Sobral, B.W.S., Charles, T.C. 2007. Roles of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and glycogen in symbiosis of Sinorhizobium meliloti with Medicago sp. Microbiol. 153:388-398.

46. Gray, E.J., Lee, K.D., Souleimanov, A.M., Di Falco, M.R., Zhou, X., Ly, A., Charles, T.C., Driscoll, B.T., Smith, D.L. 2006. A novel bacteriocin, thuricin 17, produced by plant growth promoting rhizobacteria strain Bacillus thuringiensis NEB17: isolation and classification. J. Appl. Microbiol. 100:545-554.

45. Trainer, M.A., Charles, T.C. 2006. The role of PHB metabolism in the symbiosis of rhizobia with legumes. Appl. Microbiol. Biotech. 71:377-386.

44. Bhathena, J., Driscoll, B.T., Charles, T.C. Archibald, F.S. 2006. Effects of nitrogen and phosphorous limitation on the activated sludge biomass in a Kraft mill biotreatment system. Water Environ. Res. 78:2303-2310.

43. Wang, C., Meek, D.J., Panchal, P., Boruvka, N., Archibald, F.S., Driscoll, B.T., Charles, T.C. 2006. Isolation of poly-3-hydroxybutyrate metabolism genes from complex microbial communities by phenotypic complementation of bacterial mutants. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 72:384-391.

42. Aneja, P., Zachertowska, A., Charles, T.C. 2005. Comparison of the symbiotic and competition phenotypes of Sinorhizobium meliloti PHB synthesis and degradation pathway mutants. Can. J. Microbiol. 51:559-604.

41. Mao, C., Qiu, J., Wang, C., Charles, T.C., Sobral, B.W. 2005. NodMutDB: a database for genes and mutants involved in symbiosis. Bioinformatics 21:2927-2929.

40. Aneja, P., Charles. T.C. 2005. Characterization of bdhA, encoding the enzyme D-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, from Sinorhizobium sp. strain NGR234. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 242:87-94.

39. Ma., W., Charles, T.C., Glick, B.R. 2004. Expression of an exogenous 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase gene in Sinorhizobium meliloti increases its ability to nodulate alfalfa. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70:5891-5897..

38. Aneja, P., Dai, M., Lacorre, D.A., Pillon, B., Charles, T.C. 2004. Heterologous complementation of the exopolysaccharide synthesis and carbon utilization phenotypes of Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm1021 PHB synthesis mutants. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 239:277-283.

Publication links on Google Scholar

Article in Imprint Student Newspaper

Links

Sinorhizobium meliloti genome

Sinorhizobium meliloti ORFeome

Sinogate

RhizoBase

NodMutDB

University of Waterloo iGEM team

iGEM uncovered : UW undergraduates take on the world of synthetic biology

 

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