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Sherwood Casjens, Ph.D.
2001 - present, Professor, Department of Pathology, Division of Cell Biology and Immunology
1994 - present, Adjunct Professor of Biology, University of Utah
Sherwood Casjens, Ph.D
Titles:
- 1995-1997. Director, Combine Graduate Program in Molecular Biology, University of Utah. Administration of the Combined Graduate Program in Molecular Biology.
- 1988-1995. Director, Genetics Training Program, University of Utah. Administration of an NIH genetics training grant.
About Sherwood Casjens, Ph.D.
The Casjens laboratory is studying three rather different areas: (1) the genetic control of the assembly of virus particles, (2) modular evolution of bacteriophage genomes, and (3) genome structure and replication of the Lyme disease causing bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi and its relationship to other bacterial genomes.
Our work on virus assembly is concentrated on genetic and biochemical analysis of the proteins that are necessary for packaging a DNA molecule into bacteriophage P22 virions. One of these is involved in recognizing the proper DNA for packaging, two build the virus particle itself, and two are required for DNA to enter the particles.
We have also been involved in the sequencing an characterization of the genomes of several tailed-bacteriophages - P22, Sf6, L, Mu, N15, ES18, KO2, 9NA, Det7 and SPO1. These genomes are a rich source of information on bacteriophage diversity as well as ideas for how bacteriophages evolve and interact with their hosts.
Our Borrelia burgdorferi work has shown that these bacteria are unique in that, unlike other bacteria, they have a linear chromosome with covalently closed hairpin ends and they carry a very large number of linear and circular plasmid DNAs. Our current work is directed toward understanding the complete gene pool (pan-genome) available to this pathogen and toward understanding the detailed structure, replication and diversity of the linear chromosome and plasmid ends. We also use this information to understand the genetic diversity and evolution of this species.
Selected Publications
- 1. Lander G, Tang L, Casjens S, Gilcrease E, Prevelige P, Poliakov, A, Potter, C, Carragher B, Johnson J (2006) A protein sensor for headful viral chromosome packaging is activated by spooled dsDNA. Science 312: 1791-1795.
- 2. Olia A, Al-Bassam J, Winn-Stapley D, Joss L, Casjens S, Cingolani G (2006) Binding-induced stabilization and assembly of the phage P22 tail accessory factor gp4. J. Mol. Biol. 363: 558-576.
- 3. Tang L, Gilcrease E, Casjens S, Johnson J (2006) Highly discriminatory binding of capsid cementing proteins in bacteriophage L. Structure 14: 837-846.
- 4. Casjens S (2005) Comparative genomics and evolution of the tailed-bacteriophages. Curr. Opinion Microbiol. 8:1-8.
- 5. Weigele P, Sampson L, Winn-Stapley D, Casjens S (2005) Molecular genetics of bacteriophage P22 scaffolding protein's functional domains. J. Mol. Biol. 348: 831-844.
- 6. Gilcrease E, Winn-Stapley D, Hewitt FC, Joss L, Casjens S (2005) Bacteriophage L head assembly gene cluster nucleotide sequence and decoration protein characterization. J. Bacteriol. 187:2050-2057
- 7. Casjens S, Gilcrease E, Winn-Stapley D, Schicklmaier P, Schmieger H, Pedulla M, Ford M, Houtz J, Hatfull G, Hendrix R (2005) The generalized transducing Salmonella phage ES18: complete genome sequence and DNA packaging strategy. J. Bacteriol. 187:1091-1104
- 8. Qiu W, Schutzer S, Bruno J, Attie O, Xu J, Dunn J, Fraser C, Casjens S , Luft B (2004) Recombination and plasmid transfer among Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto lineages revealed by three-way genome comparisons and multi-locus sequence typing. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 101:14150-14155
- 9. Huang W, Robertson M, Aron J, Casjens S (2004) Telomere exchange between linear replicons of Borrelia burgdorferi . J. Bacteriol. 186:4134-4141
- 10. Casjens S (2003) Prophages in sequenced bacterial genomes: what have we learned so far? Molec. Microbiol. 49:277-300
- All Publications: Click Here
Courses Taught:
Honors and Awards
- 2005, Election to American Academy of Microbiology.
- 1994, The John A. Boezi Memorial Award for accomplishments by former undergraduates of Michigan State University.
- Recipient of National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship.
- Recipient of Helen Hay Whitney Postgraduate Fellowship.
- 1981, Recipient NIH Career Development Award.
- 1976, Becton-Dickinson Award Lecturer, American Society for Microbiology Meeting Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Professional Education
- 1972, Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Stanford University East Lansing, Michigan
- 1972 - 1974, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- 1967, M.S. in Biochemistry, Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan
- 1967, B.Sc. in Biochemistry, Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan