Department of Botany and Plant Pathology

Daniel J. Arp Professor and Chairperson Ph.D., 1980, University of Wisconsin, Madison arpd@science.oregonstate.edu Faculty of Center for Genome Research and Biocomputing   Arp Laboratory Page

Research Area

Nitrification; agriculturally and environmentally relevant microbial biochemistry and physiology, bioremediation.

Description of Research

Work in my laboratory focuses on three aspects of microbial physiology, biochemistry and molecular biology. First, we are investigating the process of nitrification which involves the oxidation of ammonia to nitrate. Our focus is on the genes and proteins involved in the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite. Second, we are studying bioremediation. Our focus is on the use of bacteria that express broad-function monooxygenases to degrade chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons.  Third, we are interested in butane oxidation by bacteria. Butane is harvested from the environment by a monooxygenase. Three bacteria under investigation appear to have distinct monooxygenases.

Research Group Members

Faculty Research Assistants/Associates

Barbara Gvakharia
Brad Dubbles
Xueming Wei

Graduate Students

David Doughty (Ph.D. expected 2006)
Shawn Starkenburg (Ph.D. expected 2008)
Neeraja Vajrala (Ph.D. expected 2008)

Teaching

BOT 331 Plant Physiology

BOT 332 Experimental Plant Physiology

BOT/BB 653 Photosynthesis and Plant Biochemistry

MCB 511 Research Perspectives

HC 403 Introduction to Thesis

Publications

PubMed