Plant Genomics & Transformation Facility

Research

The PGTF is directed by Myeong-Je Cho and located in UC Berkeley’s Innovative Genomics Institute Building. PGTF staff have established efficient transformation and genome editing protocols for an array of major crop species. The facility collaborates with both members of the IGI and the local research community.

The PGTF continues to:

Establish and develop enabling technologies for CRISPR-Cas9 applications in target crop species

Genome-edit major crop species

Collaborate with other principal investigators and researchers

Perform research on seed quality improvement via genome editing

People

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Myeong-Je Cho, Ph.D.

Director and PI of Plant Genomics and Transformation Facility

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Baljeet Gill, Ph.D.

Research Associate

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Luzminda Hilario, Ph.D.

Research Associate

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Jesse Jones

Research Associate

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Jaclyn Tanaka

Lab Manager

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Elaine Zhang, M.S.

Research Associate

Publications

Loss of function of a DMR6 ortholog in tomato confers broad-spectrum disease resistance

Thomazella DPDT, Seong K, Mackelprang R, Dahlbeck D, Geng Y, Gill US, Qi T, Pham J, Giuseppe P, Lee CY, Ortega A, Cho MJ, Hutton SF, and Staskawicz B. PNAS

(2021)

Chromosome-level genome assembly of a regenerable maize inbred line A188

Lin G, He C, Zheng J, Koo DH, Le H, Zheng H, Tamang TM, Lin J, Liu Y, Zhao M, Hao Y, McFraland F, Wang B, Qin Y, Tang H, McCarty DR, Wei H, Cho MJ, Park S, Kaeppler H, Kaeppler SM, Liu Y, Springer N, Schnable PS, Wang G, White FF, and Liu S. Genome Biology

(2021)

Factors affecting seed germination and establishment of an efficient germination method in sugar pine (pinus lambertiana dougl.)

Shen X and Cho MJ. HortScience

(2021)

Efficient isolation of protoplasts from rice calli with pause points and its application in transient gene expression and genome editing assays.

Poddar S, Tanaka J, Cate JHD, Staskawicz B, and Cho MJ. Plant Methods

(2020)

High aspect ratio nanomaterials enable delivery of functional genetic material without DNA integration in mature plants.

Demirer GS, Zhang H, Matos JL, Goh NS, Cunningham FJ, Sung Y, Chang R, Aditham AJ, Chio L, Cho MJ, Staskawicz B, and Landry MP. Nature Nanotechnology (2019)

NRG1 functions downstream of EDS1 to regulate TIR-NLR-mediated plant immunity in Nicotiana benthamiana.

Qi T, Seong K, Thomazella DPT, Kim JR, Pham J, Seo E, Cho MJ, Schultink A, and Staskawicz BJ. PNAS (2018)

To view all of Myeong-Je Cho's previous publications, click here.

News

September 20, 2019: Farewell Julie Pham! She will continue her career in industry.

July 1, 2019: Welcome Dr. Xiuli Shen, who has joined the PGTF as an Associate Specialist working on peanut transformation!

April 22, 2019: Welcome Dominick, who has joined the PGTF as a Research Associate working on plant care and general lab assistance!

March 1, 2019: Welcome Michelle, who has joined the PGTF as an Associate Specialist working on rice transformation!

November 2018: The PGTF is awarded an NSF grant for maize research.