Dr. Smith is interested in the physiology and molecular genetics of flower and pollen development.  A first step toward understanding gene expression during flower production was the identification of genes that are expressed only in flowers. These genes are used to understand the specialized functions necessary for flower and pollen development.  Regions of the flower-specific genes that impart tissue specific and developmental expression are used to identify regulatory genes important to flower-specific gene expression.  The research involves production of transgenic tomato and Arabidopsis with altered expression of the flower-specific genes.  Transformed plants are compared with unaltered plants to determine the role of specific genes in reproduction.  Transgenic Arabidopsis are being used in a novel genetic approach for the identification of genes that regulate temporal and spatial expression of the flower-specific genes.  Results from these experiments are used in applied projects for the improvement of horticultural crops.  The applied research develops strategies for the control of reproduction and fertility of plants and to manipulate growth and size of plants.  Dr. Smith is a graduate faculty member of the Plant Biological Sciences and the Applied Plant Sciences graduate programs and is a member of Plant Molecular Genetics Institute.

Refereed Publications:

Erwin, J.E., R.M. Warner, and A.G. Smith.  2002.  Vernalization, photoperiod and GA3 interact to affect flowering of Japanese Radish (Raphanus stivus L. 'Chinese Jumbo Scarlet'). Horticultural Science. 115: 298-302
 

Fuerstenberg, S., P. B. Bucciaglia, and A.G. Smith.  1999.  Molecular characterization of an anther-specific gene from tobacco showing sequence similarity to a tapetum-specific gene from tomato. Sexual Plant Reproduction 4:  252-254.

Lin, K-C, W.R. Bushnell, L.J. Szabo, and A.G. Smith. 1998.  Temporal accumulation of defense response gene transcripts in relation in oat inoculated with Puccinia graminis.  Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology 52:  95-114.

Lund, S.T., A.G. Smith and W.P. Hackett.  1997.  Differential gene expression in response to auxin treatment in the wild type and rac, an adventitious rooting-incompetent mutant of tobacco.  Plant Physiol.  114:  1197-1206.

Lin, K-C, W.R. Bushnell, L.J. Szabo, and A.G. Smith. 1996.   Isolation and expression of a host response gene family encoding thaumatin-like proteins in incompatible oat-stem rust fungus interactions.  Molec. Plant-Microbe Interact.  9:  511-522.

Dotson, S.B.,  M. Lanahan, A.G. Smith, and G. Kishore.  1996.  A phosphonate monoester hydrolase from Burkholderia caryophilli PG2982 is useful as a conditional lethal gene in plants.  Plant J. 10:  383-392.

Lund, S.T., A.G. Smith and W.P. Hackett.  1996.  Cuttings of a tobacco mutant, rac, undergo cell divisions but do not initiate roots in response to exogenous auxin.  Physiol. Plant. 97:  372-380.

Clark, T.A., R.J.  Zeyen,  T.L.W. Carver, A.G. Smith, and W.R. Bushnell. 1995.  Epidermal cell cytoplasmic events and response gene transcript accumulation during Erysiphe graminis attack in isogenic barley lines differing at the Ml-o locus.  Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology 46:1-16.

Sanchez, M.C., A.G. Smith, and W.P. Hackett.  1995.  Localized expression of a proline-rich protein gene in juvenile and mature ivy petioles in relation to rooting potential.  Physiol. Plant.  93:  207-216.

Bucciaglia, P.A., and A.G. Smith.  1994.  Cloning and characterization of Tag1, a tobacco anther ÃÆ'Æâ€^TMÆ’ÃÆ'…¸-1,3-glucanase expressed at tetrad dissolution.  Plant Molec. Bio. 24:  903-914.

Clark, T.A., R.J.  Zeyen, A.G. Smith, T.L.W. Carver, and C.P. Vance.  1994.  Phenylalanine ammonia lyase mRNA accumulation, enzyme activity, and cytoplasmic responses in barley isolines, differing in Ml-a and ml-o loci attacked by Erysiphe graminis f. sp. hordei.  Physiol. Molec. Plant Path. 44:  171-185.

Chen R., P.J. Aguirre,  and A.G. Smith.  1994.   Characterization of an anther- and tapetum-specific gene encoding a glycine-rich protein from tomato.  J. Plant Physiol. 143:  651-658.

Wang, F., A.G. Smith, and M.L. Brenner.  1994.  Temporal and spatial expression pattern of sucrose synthase during tomato fruit development.  Plant Physiol.  104:  535-540.

Murray, J.R., A.G. Smith, and  W.P Hackett.  1994.  Differential dihydroflavonol reductase transcription and anthocyanin pigmentation in the juvenile and mature phases of ivy (Hedera helix L.).  Planta 194:  102-109.

Clark, T.A., Zeyen, R.J., Smith, A.G., Bushnell, W.R., Szabo, L.J., and Vance C.P.  1993.  Host response gene transcript accumulation in relation to visible cytological events during Erysiphe graminis attack in isogenic barley lines differing at the Ml-a locus.   Physiol. Molec. Plant Path. 43:  283-298.

Wang, F., A.G. Smith, and M.L. Brenner.  1993.  Isolation and sequencing of tomato fruit sucrose synthase cDNA.  Plant Physiol.  103:  1463-1464.

Aguirre, P.J., and A.G. Smith.  1993.  Molecular characterization of a gene encoding a cysteine-rich protein preferentially expressed in anthers of Lycopersicon esculentum.  Plant Molec. Biol.  23:  477-487.

Chen, R., and A.G. Smith.  1993.  Nucleotide sequence of a stamen- and tapetum-specific gene from Lycopersicon esculentum.  Plant Physiol.  101:  1413.

Wang, F., A. Sanz, M.L. Brenner, and A.G. Smith.  1993.  Sucrose synthase, starch accumulation and tomato fruit sink strength.  Plant Physiol.  101:  321-327.

Budelier, K.A., A.G. Smith and C. S. Gasser.  1990.  Regulation of a stylar transmitting tissue-specific gene in wild-type and transgenic tomato and tobacco.  Mol. Gen. Genetics. 224:  183-192.

Smith, A.G., C. S. Gasser, K.A. Budelier and R.T. Fraley. 1990.  Identification and characterization of stamen- and tapetal-specific genes from tomato.  Mol. Gen. Genetics.  222:  9-16.

Gasser, C.S., K.A. Budelier, A.G. Smith, D.M. Shah, and R.T. Fraley.  1989.  Isolation of Tissue-Specific cDNAs from tomato pistils.  The Plant Cell.  1:15-24.

Smith, A.G., M.A. Hinchee, and R. Horsch.  1987.  Cell and tissue specific expression localized by in situ RNA hybridization in floral tissues.  Plant Mol. Biol. Reporter.  5:237-241.

Smith, A.G., and D.R. Pring.  1987.  Nucleotide sequence and molecular characterization of a maize mitochondrial plasmid-like DNA.  Current Genetics. 12:617-623.

Smith, A.G., D.R. Pring, and P.S. Chourey.  1987.  Replication and amplification of the small mitochondrial DNAs in a cell suspension of Black Mexican Sweet maize.  Plant Mol. Biol.  10:83-90.

Pring, D.R., D.M. Lonsdale, V. Gracen, and A.G. Smith.  1987.  Mitochondrial DNA duplication / deletion events and polymorphism in the C group of male sterile maize cytoplasm.  Theor. Appl. Genet., 73:646-653.

Huaptmann, R.M., G. della-Cioppa, A.G. Smith, J.M. Widholm, and G.M. Kishore.  1987.  Expression of glyphosate resistance in carrot somatic hybrid cells through the transfer of an amplified 5-enolpyruvylshikimic acid-3-phosphate synthase gene.  Mol. Gen. Genetics.  211:357-363.  

Ye, J., R.M. Huaptmann, A.G. Smith, and J.M. Widholm.  1987.  Selection of a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia universal hybridizer and its use in intergeneric somatic hybrid formation.  Mol. Gen. Genetics.  208:474-480.

Ludwig, S.R., R.F. Pohlman, J. Vieira, A.G. Smith, and J. Messing.  1984.  The nucleotide sequence of a mitochondrial replicon from maize.  Gene.  38:131-138.

Smith, A.G., D.P. Durand, and J.H. Hill.  1983.  Interactions of cowpea mosaic virus with cowpea protoplasts.  Phytopth. Z. 107: 182-191.  

Book Chapters:

Murray, J.R., M.C. Sanchez, and A.G. Smith.  1994.  Differential competence for adventitious root formation in histologically similar cell types.  IN:  Biology of Adventitious Root Formation.  T.D. Davis and B.E. Haisseg, eds., Plenum Press, New York.

Bucciaglia, P.A., and A.G. Smith.  1994.  Tag1, a gene with homology to ÃÆ'Æâ€^TMÆ’ÃÆ'…¸-1,3-glucanases expressed at tetrad dissolution.   IN:  Pollen-Pistil Interactions and Pollen Tube Growth.  A.G. Stephenson and T-h. Kao, eds., American Society of Plant Physiologists, Rockville, MD.

Smith, A.G.  Isolation and regulation of differentially expressed genes from flowers.   1993.  Identification and characterization of tissue-specific genes from flowers.  IN:  The Molecular Biology of Flowering,  B.R. Jordan ed., CAB International, Wallingford UK.

Smith, A.G.  1993.  Genetic engineering technology in processing crops and regulations concerning genetic engineering development.  IN:  Processing Crops Manual and Proceedings, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois and Minnesota Extension Service, University of Minnesota, R.L. Hughes and B.A. Michaelis eds.

Smith, A.G.  1993.  Transgenic Organisms.  IN:  Yearbook of Science & Technology,  McGraw-Hill, New York, New York.

Bushnell, W.R., T.A. Clark, Z. Liu, A.G. Smith, L,J. Szabo, and R.J. Zeyen.  1992.  Host response gene expression in powdery mildew of barley.  Vortr. PflanzenzÃÆ'Æâ€^TMÆ’ÃÆ'‚¼chtg  Vol. 48,  F.J. Zeller and G. Fischbeck eds., pp. 48-50.

Hackett, W.P., J.R. Murray, and A.G. Smith.  1992.  Control of maturation in woody species.  In:  Proceedings of the Symposium of Mass Production Technology for Genetically Improved Fast Growing Forest Tree Species.  AFOCEL and IUFRO, Bordeaux, France 1992.

Smith, A.G., S.M. Brown and C.S. Gasser.  1990.  Identification and characterization of tissue-specific genes from flowers.  IN:  Plant Biotechnology Series.  Vol. I.  Plant Genetic Engineering, Vol.1, D. Grierson ed., Blackie and Son Limited, Glasgow.

Smith, A.G., C.S. Gasser, K.A. Sachs, S. McCormick, M.A. Hinchee, R. Horsch and R.T. Fraley.  1989.  Regulated expression of floral-specific genes.  IN: Molecular Biology of Plant Nuclear Genes, Vol. 6, I.K. Vasil and J. Schell eds., Academic Press, Inc.  New York, NY.  pp. 197-214.

Courses Taught:

       Hort 4071. Applications of Biotechnology Plant Improvement

       Hort 8044  Manipulation of Plant Growth and Reproduction