Dr. Marilee A. Ramesh

Associate Professor
Department: Biology
Office: 406G Life Science
Phone: 375-2464

ramesh@roanoke.edu

Degrees:

B.S. in Biology, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Ph.D. in Biology, Indiana University

Course List

Research & Teaching Interests:

  • Genetics
  • Molecular
  • Biology
  • Genomics
  • Bioinformatics

Scholarly Activities:

MEETING PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLISHED ABSTRACTS

  • M. A. Ramesh*, S. B. Malik and J. M. Logsdon. (2001) Elucidating the origins of meiosis: Strategies to isolate meiotic genes from diverse protozoa. FASEB Summer Research Conference-Genetic Recombination and Chromosome Rearrangement, Snowmass, CO (poster).
  • M. A. Ramesh*, S. B. Malik and J. M. Logsdon. (2001) Elucidating the origins of meiosis: Strategies to isolate meiotic genes from diverse protozoa. 2001 Annual Meeting of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution, Athens, GA (poster).
  • S. Acharya, M. Celerin, M. Ramesh and M. Zolan. (1999) rad12: a Coprinus cinereus mutant sensitive to radiation and deficient in spore formation. 20th Fungal Genetics Conference, Pacific Grove, CA (poster).
  • M. A. Ramesh and C. P. Woloshuk. (1999) Characterization of afl1 locus in Aspergillus flavus by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis. Aflatoxin Elimination Workshop, Atlanta, GA.
  • M. A. Ramesh*. (1997) Multiple drug resistance in fungi. Biotechnology Laboratory Retreat, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia.
  • M. A. Ramesh*, A. B. Orth and J. W. Kronstad. (1997) Characterization of the role of the cAMP pathway in vinclozolin resistance of Ustilago maydis. 19th Fungal Genetics Conference, Pacific Grove, CA (poster).
  • M. A. Ramesh*, K. Tang and M. E. Zolan. (1995) Phenotypic analysis and cloning strategy for rad12, a gene required for meiosis and DNA repair in Coprinus cinereus. 18th Fungal Genetics Conference, Pacific Grove, CA (poster).
  • M. A. Ramesh*, K. Tang and M.E. Zolan (1994) Cloning strategy for rad12, a gene of Coprinus cinereus required for meiosis and DNA repair. Fifth International Mycological Congress, Vancouver, British Columbia (poster).
  • M. A. Ramesh*, E.M. Klamo and M.E. Zolan (1993) 100% targeted transformation at the 5D6 locus of Coprinus cinereus. 17th Fungal Genetics Conference, Pacific Grove, CA (poster).
  • M. A. Ramesh*, J. Kirchner and M. Zolan (1992) rad12, a gene required for meiosis and DNA repair in Coprinus cinereus. Gordon Research Conference on Meiosis, Plymouth, NH (poster).
  • M. A. Ramesh*, J. Kirchner and M. Zolan. (1992) rad12, a gene required for meiosis and DNA repair in Coprinus cinereus. The Genetics and Cellular Biology of Basidiomycetes II, Mississauga, Ontario (poster).
  • M. A. Ramesh*. (1992) Molecular cloning of the rad12 gene of Coprinus cinereus. Spring Symposium, Indiana University, Bloomington IN.
  • M. A. Ramesh* and S. K. Ballal. (1988) The isolation and culture of jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis) protoplasts. Association of Southeastern Biologists Annual Meeting, Biloxi, MS. presenter

Extracurricular:

Earthbound Advisor
Outdoor Adventure Advisor

Recent Publications:

  • M. A. Ramesh, R. David Laidlaw, F. Dürrenberger, A. B. Orth and J.W. Kronstad. (2001) The cAMP signal transduction pathway mediates resistance to dicarboximide and aromatic hydrocarbon fungicides in Ustilago maydis.Fungal Genetics and Biology 32:183-193.
  • J. Kronstad, A. De Maria, D. Funnell, R. D. Laidlaw, N. Lee, M. Moniz de Sá and M. Ramesh. (1998) Signaling via cAMP in fungi: Interconnections with mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Archives of Microbiology 170: 395-404.
  • M. A. Ramesh and M. E. Zolan. (1995) Chromosome dynamics in rad12 mutants of Coprinus cinereus. Chromosoma 104:189-201.
  • M. E. Zolan, N.Y. Stassen, M.A. Ramesh, B. C. Lu and G. Valentine. (1994) Meiotic mutants and DNA repair genes of Coprinus cinereus. Canadian Journal of Botany 73:S226- S233.
  • M. E. Zolan, N.K. Heyler and M.A. Ramesh. (1993) Gene mapping using marker chromosomes in Coprinus cinereus. In: R.H. Baltz, G.D. Hegeman and P.L. Skatrud (ed) Industrial Microorganisms: Basic and Applied Molecular Genetics. American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC, USA. pp.31-35.
  • M. A. Ramesh, R. David Laidlaw, F. Dürrenberger, A. B. Orth and J.W. Kronstad. (2001) The cAMP signal transduction pathway mediates resistance to dicarboximide and aromatic hydrocarbon fungicides in Ustilago maydis. Fungal Genetics and Biology 32:183-193.
  • J. Kronstad, A. De Maria, D. Funnell, R. D. Laidlaw, N. Lee, M. Moniz de Sá and M. Ramesh. (1998) Signaling via cAMP in fungi: Interconnections with mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. Archives of Microbiology 170: 395-404.
  • M. A. Ramesh and M. E. Zolan. (1995) Chromosome dynamics in rad12 mutants of Coprinus cinereus. Chromosoma 104:189-201.
  • M. E. Zolan, N.Y. Stassen, M.A. Ramesh, B. C. Lu and G. Valentine. (1994) Meiotic mutants and DNA repair genes of Coprinus cinereus. Canadian Journal of Botany 73:S226- S233.
  • M. E. Zolan, N.K. Heyler and M.A. Ramesh. (1993) Gene mapping using marker chromosomes in Coprinus cinereus. In: R.H. Baltz, G.D. Hegeman and P.L. Skatrud (ed) Industrial Microorganisms: Basic and Applied Molecular Genetics. American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC, USA. pp.31-35.

Research Interests:

An underlying feature of the biological sciences is the assumption that all life has evolved from a single ancestor. The diversity of life we see all around us is even more amazing when we consider that each organism is in some way related to the others. Resolving those relationships has been a major focus of evolutionary biology.

I am interested in studying the origins and evolution of the process of meiosis. Meiosis is a specialized form of cell division that produces reproductive cells, such as eggs and sperm in mammals, megaspores and pollen in most plants and spores in fungi. Meiosis is absent in bacteria. It is a process that occurs only in eukaryotic organisms (animals, plants, fungi and protists), but it is not known whether meiosis occurs in all eukaryotes. When meiosis first originated and how it has evolved throughout the eukaryotic lineage are two largely unanswered questions. Much of what we know about meiosis is limited to studies using animal, plant or fungal model systems. However, protists are by far the most informative group in which to study the evolution of this process among eukaryotes. Protists represent not only the greatest number of species but also exhibit the greatest variation among the four major groups of eukaryotes. However, until recently, these single-celled eukaryotes have been difficult to work with as laboratory model systems.

Recent technological advances in the area of genomics and bioinformatics have enabled us to begin unraveling the mysteries of protist meiosis. The genomes of many protists, particularly those species that are the causative agents of diseases such as malaria, sleeping sickness, and intestinal discomforts are currently being sequenced. Strategies much like those used to sequence the human genome are being applied to these organisms. In my research laboratory, we make use of the data collected from these sequencing projects by searching or “mining” them for the specific meiotic genes we are interested in studying. Questions I am interested in are i) whether a species has all the necessary genetic information necessary to perform meiosis, and if so, ii) are these genes expressed, iii) are the gene products functional and iv) how have these proteins changed throughout the course of eukaryotic evolution. Projects in my lab involve a combination of computational analysis and the application of molecular biology techniques to study elements of the genome of certain protists. In connection with this, I am interested in culturing local protist species and including them in these analyses.