Address:
USDA-ARS Potato Research Worksite
311 5th Avenue, NE
East Grand Forks, MN 56721 Dr. Sowokinos, who specializes in enzyme isolation and characterization, conducts research involving metabolic regulation of carbohydrate metabolism in potato tubers. He has published articles on the regulation of carbon partitioning in tubers and has developed a commercial method to measure the "chemical maturity" of potato tubers at harvest. Dr. Sowokinos recently has been investigating the mechanism of stress action (i.e., cold, heat, and moisture) on the quality of potatoes used for processing. He is currently interested in identifying proteins and their respective genes which confer cold-sweetening resistance to potatoes. Dr. Sowokinos is currently using molecular biology techniques to generate new potato plants which resist sweetening when stressed. He is also a member of the plant biological sciences graduate faculty and is an adjunct professor in the Department of Horticulture and Forestry, North Dakota State University.
References:
- McKenzie, M.J., J. R. Sowokinos, I.M. Shea, S.K. Gupta, R.R. Lindlauf and J.A.D. Anderson. 2005 Investigations on the role of acid invertase and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase in potato clones with varying resistance to cold-induced sweetening. Am J of Potato Res 82:3-11
- Sowokinos, J.R., V. Vigdorovich and M. Abrahamsen. 2004 Molecular cloning and sequence variation of UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase cDNAs from potatoes sensitive and resistant to cold sweetening. J Plant Physiol 161:947-955
- Gupta, S.K. and J. R. Sowokinos. 2003 Physicochemical and kinetic properties of unique isozymes of UDP-Glc pyrophosphorylase that are associated with resistance to sweetening in cold-stored potato tubers. J Plant Physiol 160:589-600
Sowokinos, J.R. 2001 Invited Review: Biochemical and molecular control of cold-induced sweetening in potatoes. Am J of Potato Res 78:221-236
Sowokinos, J.R. and M. Glynn 2001 New potato clones maintain low sugars in cold storage. Valley Potato Grower 66(125):30-31
Sowokinos, J.R., C.T. Thomas and M.M. Burrell. 1997. Pyrophosphorylases in Solanum tuberosum V. Allelic polymorphism of UDP-glucose pyrophyorylase in potato cultivars and its association with tuber resistance to sweetening in the cold. Plant Physiol. 113:511-517.
Borovkov, A.Y., P.E. McClean, J.R. Sowokinos, S.H. Ruud and G.A. Secor. 1996. Effect of expression of UDP-glucose pyrophosophorylase ribozyme and antisense RNAs on the enzyme activity and carbohydrate composition of field-grown transgenic potato plants. J. Plant Physiol. 147:644-652.
Sowokinos, J.R. 1994. Post-harvest regulation of sucrose accumulation in transgenic potatoes: Role and properties of potato tuber UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase. In Molecular and Cellular biology of the Potato (eds. M. Vayda, W. Park and W. Belknap), Vol 2, Chapter VII, C.A.B. International, Wallingford, UK, pp. 81-106.
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