David Gang, Plant Sciences

Dr. David R. Gang
Associate Professor
Marley Building, Room 441C
Phone: (520) 621-7154
Email: gang@ag.arizona.edu

Visit these web-sites to learn more about Dr. Gang and his research

Background and Interests

David Gang received a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology from Washington State University in 1999. He also has a Bachelor's degree in Botany-Molecular Biology and a BA in German, both of which he received from Brigham Young University. Here at the University of Arizona, he teaches plant biochemistry (PLS 620 and part of PLS 660). His research seeks to elucidate the biosynthetic pathways that produce novel and important plant specialized metabolites in aromatic plants, to uncover the mechanisms responsible for the evolution of these pathways in the plant kingdom and to understand the function of a given natural product in the biology and physiology of a given plant species. The most productive approach in this area has been a multidisciplinary one-which utilizes the best tools from the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, plant physiology, whole organism biology and ecology-because understanding the role that a specific metabolite plays in the plant requires an understanding of the whole complexity surrounding its formation and utilization. The plants used as models in his lab include sweet basil, ginger and turmeric. Dr. Gang has received several awards and recognition for his work including the Arthur Neish Young Investigator Award, Phytochemical Society of North America, 2001 and the Margaret and Herman Sokol Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Sciences, University of Michigan, 1999. His work has been in many publications.

Publications

Min T, Kasahara H, Bedgar DL, Youn B, Lawrence PK, Gang DR, Halls SC, Park H, Hilsenbeck JL, Davin LB, Lewis NG, Kang C. Dec 2003. Crystal structures of pinoresinol-lariciresinol and phenylcoumaran benzylic ether reductases and their relationship to isoflavone reductases. J Biol Chem, 278:50714-23

Gang DR, Beuerle T, Ullmann P, Werck-Reichhart D, Pichersky E. Nov 2002. Differential production of meta hydroxylated phenylpropanoids in sweet basil peltate glandular trichomes and leaves is controlled by the activities of specific acyltransferases and hydroxylases. Plant Physiol, 130:1536-44

Gang DR, Lavid N, Zubieta C, Chen F, Beuerle T, Lewinsohn E, Noel JP, Pichersky E. Feb 2002. Characterization of phenylpropene O-methyltransferases from sweet basil: facile change of substrate specificity and convergent evolution within a plant O-methyltransferase family. Plant Cell, 14:505-19

Gang DR, Wang J, Dudareva N, Nam KH, Simon JE, Lewinsohn E, Pichersky E. Feb 2001. An investigation of the storage and biosynthesis of phenylpropenes in sweet basil. Plant Physiol, 125:539-55

Pichersky E, Gang DR. Oct 2000. Genetics and biochemistry of secondary metabolites in plants: an evolutionary perspective. Trends Plant Sci, 5:439-45

Gang DR, Costa MA, Fujita M, Dinkova-Kostova AT, Wang HB, Burlat V, Martin W, Sarkanen S, Davin LB, Lewis NG. Mar 1999. Regiochemical control of monolignol radical coupling: a new paradigm for lignin and lignan biosynthesis. Chem Biol, 6:143-51

Gang DR, Kasahara H, Xia ZQ, Vander Mijnsbrugge K, Bauw G, Boerjan W, Van Montagu M, Davin LB, Lewis NG. Mar 1999. Evolution of plant defense mechanisms. Relationships of phenylcoumaran benzylic ether reductases to pinoresinol-lariciresinol and isoflavone reductases. J Biol Chem, 274:7516-27

Fujita M, Gang DR, Davin LB, Lewis NG. Jan 1999. Recombinant pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductases from western red cedar (Thuja plicata) catalyze opposite enantiospecific conversions. J Biol Chem, 274:618-27

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Mailing Address: The University of Arizona
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P.O. Box 210036
Tucson, AZ 85721