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Michael Evans

Michael EvansDr. Michael L. Evans
Emeritus Professor
Ph.D., University of California, Santa Cruz, 1967.

Contact:
The Ohio State University
Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology
514 Aronoff Laboratory
318 West 12th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210

Office: 614.292.9162
Laboratory: 614.292.6345
Fax: 614.292.5379
e-Mail: Evans.20@osu.edu

Evans Lab Web Site

Focus:

Plant physiology, gravitropism and root growth.

Research Interests:

Dr. Evans studies the hormonal regulation of growth, and the mechanisms of plant responses to gravity. He has developed computerized methods for recording growth rates and has applied these methods to studies of organs responding to hormones and to gravity. Dr. Evans is particularly interested in the role of auxin in root gravitropism and has investigated which cells in the root show the earliest response to gravity stimulation. He found that a small group of cells between the meristem and the main elongation zone plays a particularly important role in the response to gravity. These cells are also key players in the responses of roots to touch, water stress, exposure to high doses of hormones, or electrical stimulation. Dr. Evans has recently applied his methodology to investigations of root growth and gravity responses in mutant seedlings of Arabidopsis with altered sensitivity to auxin and gravity.

Selected Publications:

  1. 1969 Evans, M.L. and R. Hokanson. Timing of the response of coleoptiles to application and withdrawal of various auxins. Planta 85: 85-95.

  2. 1969 Evans, M.L. and P.M. Ray. Timing of the auxin response in coleoptiles and its implications regarding auxin action. J. Gen. Physiol. 53: 1-20.

  3. 1969 Hertel, R., M.L. Evans, A.C. Leopold and H.M. Sell. The specificity of the auxin transport system. Planta 85: 238-249.

  4. 1970 Barkley, G.M. and M.L. Evans. Timing of the auxin response in etiolated pea stem sections. Plant Physiol. 45: 143-147.

  5. 1970 Evans, M.L. and D.L. Rayle. The timing of growth promotion and conversion to indole-3-acetic acid for auxin precursors. Plant Physiol. 45: 240-243.

  6. 1970 Rayle, D.L., M.L. Evans and R. Hertel. Action of auxin on cell elongation. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 65: 184-191.

  7. 1971 Evans, M.L., P.M. Ray and L. Reinhold. Induction of coleoptile elongation by carbon dioxide. Plant Physiol. 47: 335-341.

  8. 1972 Evans, M.L. Promotion of cell elongation in Avena coleoptiles by acetylcholine. Plant Physiol. 50: 414-416.

  9. 1972 Evans, M.L. and P.M. Ray. Inactivity of 3-methyleneoxindole as mediator of auxin action on cell elongation. Plant Physiol. 52: 186-189.

  10. 1973 Evans, M.L. Rapid stimulation of plant cell elongation by hormonal and non-hormonal factors. BioScience 23: 711-718.

  11. 1974 Saftner, R.A. and M.L. Evans. Selective effects of victorin on growth and the auxin response in Avena. Plant Physiol. 53: 382-387.

  12. 1974 Evans, M.L. Rapid responses to plant hormones. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 25: 195-293.

  13. 1974 Evans, M.L. Evidence against the involvement of galactosidase or glucosidase in auxin- or acid-stimulated growth. Plant Physiol. 54: 213-215.

  14. 1975 Evans, M.L. and M.R. Schmitt. The nature of spontaneous changes in growth rate in isolated coleoptile segments. Plant Physiol. 55: 757-762.

  15. 1976 Saftner, R.A., M.L. Evans and P.B. Hollander. Specific binding of victorin and calcium: evidence for calcium binding as a mediator of victorin activity. Physiological Plant Path. 8: 21-34.

  16. 1976 Vesper, M.J., R.A. Saftner, D. Sharma, and M.L. Evans. Binding of 45Ca2+ to particulate fractions of coleoptile tissue. Planta 130: 295-301.

  17. 1976 Evans, M.L. A new sensitive root auxanometer: Preliminary studies of the interaction of auxin and acid pH in the regulation of intact root elongation. Plant Physiol. 58: 599-601.

  18. 1976 Evans, M.L. Comparative effects of indole-3-acetic acid and 3-methyleneoxindole on intact lentil root elongation. Plant Sci. Lett. 7, 447-453.

  19. 1977 Evans, M.L., M. Simon and M.J. Vesper. Further characterization of the spontaneous growth response in Zea coleoptile segments. Plant & Cell Physiol. 61: 204-208.

  20. 1977 McBride, R. and Evans, M.L. Auxin inhibition of acid- and fusicoccin-induced elongation in lentil roots. Planta 136: 97-102.

  21. 1978 Vesper, M.J. and Evans, M.L. Time-dependent changes in the auxin sensitivity of coleoptile segments: an apparent sensory adaptation. Plant Physiol. 61: 204-208.

  22. 1978 Haugland, R., Cline, M.G. and Evans, M.L. Effects of mechanical stimulation on Avena coleoptile segment elongation in a high-resolution continuous growth-recording system. Plant Physiol. 61: 386-388.

  23. 1979 Vesper, M.J. and Evans, M.L. Non-hormonal induction of hydrogen ion efflux from plant tissues and its correlation with growth. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 76: 6366-70.

  24. 1979 Cline, M.G., Evans, M.L. and Rehm, M.M. Cyanide inhibition of acid-induced growth in Avena coleoptile segments. Plant Physiol. 64: 679-683.

  25. 1980 Evans, M.L., Mulkey, T.J. and Vesper, M.J. Auxin action on proton influx in corn roots and its correlation with growth. Planta 148: 510-512.

  26. 1980 Evans, M.L. and Vesper, M.J. An improved method for detecting auxin-induced hydrogen ion efflux from corn coleoptile segments. Plant Physiol. 66: 561-565.

  27. 1981 Kuzmanoff, K.M. and Evans, M.L. Kinetics of adaptation to osmotic stress in lentil (Lens culinaris Med.) roots. Plant Physiol. 68: 244-247.

  28. 1981 Mulkey, T.J. and Evans, M.L. Geotropism in corn roots: Evidence for its mediation by differential acid efflux. Science 212:70-71.

  29. 1981 Gougler, J.A. and M.L. Evans. Adaptation of corn roots to exogenously applied auxin. Physiol. Plantarum 51: 394-398.

  30. 1981 Mulkey, T.J., Kuzmanoff, K.M. and Evans, M.L. Correlations between proton efflux patterns and growth patterns during geotropism and phototropism in maize and sunflower. Planta 152: 239-241.

  31. 1981 Mulkey, T.J., Kuzmanoff, K.M. and Evans, M.L. The agar-dye method for visualizing acid efflux patterns during tropistic curvatures. What's New in Plant Physiology 12: 9-12.

  32. 1982 Mulkey, T.J., Kuzmanoff, K.M. and Evans, M.L. Promotion of growth and shift in the auxin dose/response relationship in maize roots treated with the ethylene biosynthesis inhibitors, aminoethoxyvinylglycine and cobalt. Plant Sci. Lett. 25: 43-48.

  33. 1982 Mulkey, T.J., K.M. Kuzmanoff and Evans, M.L. Promotion of growth and hydrogen ion efflux by auxin in roots of maize pretreated with ethylene biosynthesis inhibitors. Plant Physiol. 70: 186-188.

  34. 1982 Evans, M.L. and Mulkey, T.J. Comparative effects of auxin and abscisic acid on growth, hydrogen ion efflux and gravitropism in primary roots of maize. In: Plant Growth Substances 1982, PF Wareing, ed. Academic Press, New York pp 33-42

  35. 1982 Mulkey, T.J., Evans, M.L. Suppression of asymmetric acid efflux and gravitropism in maize roots treated with auxin transport inhibitors or sodium orthovanadate. J. Plant Growth Reg. 1: 259-266

  36. 1983 Mulkey, T.J., Evans, M. L., Kuzmanoff, K.M. The kinetics of abscisic acid action on root growth and gravitropism. Planta 157: 150-157

  37. 1983 Evans, M.L. The mechanism of action of auxin in the promotion of cell elongation. In: Aspects of Physiology and Biochemistry of Plant Hormones, S.S. Purohit, ed. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi, pp. 69-92

  38. 1983 Lee, J.S., Mulkey, T.J., Evans, M.L. Reversible loss of gravitropic sensitivity in maize roots after tip application of calcium chelators. Science 220: 1375-1376

  39. 1983 Lee, J.S., Mulkey, T.J., Evans, M.L. Gravity-induced polar transport of calcium across root tips of maize. Plant Physiol. 73: 874-876

  40. 1984 Evans, M.L. Functions of plant hormones at the cellular level of organization. Encyclopedia of Plant Physiol., New Series. T.K. Scott, ed. Vol. 10: 23-79.

  41. 1984 Lee, J.S., Mulkey, T.J., Evans, M.L. Inhibition of polar calcium movement and gravitropism in roots treated with auxin transport inhibitors. Planta 160: 536-543

  42. 1985 Evans, M.L. The action of auxin on plant cell elongation. Critical Rev. Plant Sci. Vol 2: 317-365

  43. 1985 Lee, J.S, Evans, M.L. Polar transport of auxin across gravistimulated roots of maize and its enhancement by calcium. Plant Physiol. 77: 824-827

  44. 1985 Lee, J.S., Evans, M.L. Polar transport of 45Ca+2 across the elongation zone of gravistimulated roots. Plant Cell Physiology 26: 1587-1596

  45. 1986 Moore, R., Evans, M.L. How roots respond to gravity. Amer. J. Bot. 73: 574-587

  46. 1986 Hasenstein, K-H, Evans, M.L. The calcium dependence of rapid auxin action in maize roots. Plant Physiol 81: 439-443

  47. 1986 Nelson A.J., Evans, M.L. Analysis of growth patterns during gravitropic curvature in roots of Zea mays using a computer-based video digitizer. J. Plant Growth Reg. 5: 73-83

  48. 1986 Hasenstein, K-H, Evans, M.L. Calcium dependency of ethylene production in segments of primary roots of Zea mays L. Physiol Plant 67: 570-575

  49. 1986 Evans, M.L. Role of calcium in gravity perception of plant roots. Adv. Space Res. 6: 61-65

  50. 1986 Evans, M.L., Moore, R., Hasenstein, K.H., How roots respond to gravity. Scientific American 254: 112-119

  51. 1987 Evans, M.L., Hasenstein, K.H., Stinemetz, C.L., and J.J. McFadden. Calcium as a second messenger in the response of roots to auxin and gravity. In: Molecular Biology of Plant Growth Control, J.E. Fox and M. Jacobs, eds. New York: Alan R. Liss, pp 361-370

  52. 1987 Stinemetz, C.L., Kuzmanoff, K.M., Evans, M.L., Jarrett, H.W. Correlation between calmodulin activity and gravitropic sensitivity in primary roots of maize. Plant Physiol 84: 1337-1342

  53. 1987 Hasenstein, K.H. and M.L. Evans. The influence of calcium and pH on growth in primary roots of Zea mays. Physiol Plantarum 72: 466-470

  54. 1987 Evans, M.L. and K.H. Hasenstein. Stimulus-response coupling in the action of auxin and gravity on roots. In: Physiology of Cell Expansion During Plant Growth, D.J. Cosgrove and D.P. Knievel, eds. American Society of Plant Physiologists. pp 202-214

  55. 1988 Hasenstein, K.H., Evans, M.L., Stinemetz, C.L., Moore, R., Fondren, W.M., Koon, E.C., Higby, M.A., and A.J.M. Smucker. Comparative effectiveness of metal ions in inducing curvature of primary roots of Zea mays. Plant Physiol 86: 885-889

  56. 1988 Hasenstein, K.H. and M.L. Evans. Effects of cations on hormone transport in primary roots of Zea mays. Plant Physiol 86: 890-894

  57. 1989 Evans, M.L. Second messengers in stimulus-response coupling in plant cells. Proc Plant Growth Regul Soc Amer 15: 114-127

  58. 1990 Moore R, Evans ML, Fondren WM Inducing gravitropic curvature of primary roots of Zea mays cv Ageotropic. Plant Physiol 92: 310-315

  59. 1990 Young LM, Evans ML, Hertel R Correlations between gravitropic curvature and auxin movement across gravistimulated roots of Zea mays. Plant Physiol 92: 792-796

  60. 1990 Yang RL, Evans ML, Moore R Microsurgical removal of epidermal and cortical cells: Evidence that the gravitropic signal moves through the outer cell layers in primary roots of maize. Planta 180: 530-536

  61. 1990 Lee JS, Hasenstein KH, Mulkey TJ, Yang RL, Evans ML Effects of abscisic acid and xanthoxin on elongation and gravitropism in primary roots of Zea mays. Plant Science 68: 17-26

  62. 1990 Ishikawa H, Evans ML Gravity-induced changes in intracellular potentials in elongating cortical cells of mung bean roots. Plant Cell Physiol 31: 457-462

  63. 1990 Evans ML, Kiss HG, Ishikawa H Interaction of calcium and auxin in the regulation of root elongation. In RT Leonard, PK Hepler, eds, Calcium in Plant Growth and Development. American Society of Plant Physiologists Symposium Series, Vol 11, Rockville, MD, pp 168-175

  64. 1990 Ishikawa H, Evans ML Electrotropism of maize roots: role of the root cap and relationship to gravitropism. Plant Physiol 94: 913-918

  65. 1990 Evans ML, Stinemetz CL, Young LM, Fondren WM The role of calcium in the response of roots to auxin and gravity. Plant Growth Substances 1988, R Pharis, SB Rood, eds. Springer-Verlag pp 209-215

  66. 1990 Lee JS, Chang WK, Evans ML Effects of ethylene on the kinetics of curvature and auxin redistribution in gravistimulated roots of Zea mays. Plant Physiol 94: 1770-1775

  67. 1991 Evans ML Gravitropism: Interaction of sensitivity modulation and effector redistribution (mini-review). Plant Physiol 95: 1-5

  68. 1991 Ishikawa H, Hasenstein KH, Evans ML Computer-based video digitizer analysis of surface extension in maize roots: Kinetics of growth rate changes during gravitropism. Planta 183: 381-390

  69. 1991 Jones AM, Cochran DS, Lamerson PM, Evans ML, Cohen JD Red light-regulated growth. I. Changes in the abundance of indoleacetic acid and a 22-kilodalton auxin-binding protein in the maize mesocotyl. Plant Physiol. 97: 352-358

  70. 1991 Cleland RE, Buckley G, Nowbar S, Lew NM, Stinemetz C, Evans ML, Rayle DL The pH profile for acid-induced elongation of coleoptile and epicotyl sections is consistent with the acid-growth theory. Planta 186: 70-74

  71. 1991 Kiss HG, Evans ML, Johnson JD Cytoplasmic calcium levels in protoplasts from the cap and elongation zone of maize roots. Protoplasma 163: 181-188

  72. 1992 Evans ML, Young LM, Hasenstein KH. The role of calcium in the regulation of hormone transport in gravistimulated roots. Advances in Space Research 12: 211-218

  73. 1992 Evans ML What remains of the Cholodny-Went theory? (contribution to multi-author forum). Plant, Cell and Environment 15: 767-768 (entire forum = pp 759-794)

  74. 1992 Ishikawa, H, Evans ML Induction of curvature in maize roots by calcium or by thigmostimulation: Role of the postmitotic isodiametric growth zone. Plant Physiol 100: 762-768

  75. 1992 Stinemetz CL, Hasenstein KH, Young LM, Evans ML. Effect of calmodulin antagonists on the growth and graviresponsiveness of primary roots of maize. J Plant Growth Regul 11: 419-427

  76. 1993 Cha MR, Evans ML, Hangarter RP Novel use of positively charged nylon transfer membranes for trapping indoleacetic acid or other small anions during efflux from plant tissues. Physiol and Biochem 31: 263-269

  77. 1993 Ishikawa H, Evans ML The role of the distal elongation zone in the response of maize roots to auxin and gravity. Plant Physiol 102: 1203-1210

  78. 1993 Ishikawa H, Evans ML Comparative growth and gravitropism studies in auxin response mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana. Biological Sciences in Space 7 (#2): 133-140

  79. 1994 Young LM, Evans ML Calcium-dependent asymmetric movement of 3H-indole-3-acetic acid across gravistimulated isolated root caps of maize. Plant Growth Regul 14: 235-242

  80. 1994 Ishikawa H, Evans ML Correlations between changes in electrical parameters and changes in cell elongation rates in gravistimulated plants. Advances in Space Research 14, No. 8: 125-133

  81. 1994 Evans ML, Ishikawa H, Estelle MA Responses of Arabidopsis roots to auxin studied with high temporal resolution: Comparison of wild type and auxin response mutants. Planta 194: 215 - 222

  82. 1995 Ishikawa H, Evans ML Specialized zones of development in roots. Plant Physiology 109:725-727

  83. Young L, Evans ML, Ishikawa H, Wolverton C, Simmons C, S"ll D. 1996 The gravitropic response of primary roots of the rgr1 mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana. In Plants In Space Biology, H. Suge and H. Takahashi, eds. Tohoku University Press pp. 73-81

  84. Young, L.M., Evans, M.L. (1996) Patterns of auxin and abscisic acid movement in the tips of gravistimulated primary roots of maize. Plant Growth Regul. 20: 253-258

  85. Evans, ML, Ishikawa, H (1997) Cellular specificity of the gravitropic motor response in roots. Planta 203: S115-122

  86. Ishikawa, H., Evans, M.L. (1997) Novel software for analysis of root gravitropism: comparative response patterns of Arabidopsis wild type and axr1 seedlings. Plant Cell and Environment 20: 919-928.

  87. Evans, ML, Ishikawa, H. (1997) Computer based imaging and analysis of root gravitropism. Gravitational and Space Biology Bulletin 10 (No. 2): 65-73.

  88. Loomis J, Liu X, Ding Z, Fujimura K, Evans M, and Ishikawa, H (1997) Visualization of plant growth. IEEE Visualization Vol 97: pp. 475-478.

  89. Mullen JL, Ishikawa H, Evans ML (1998) Analysis of changes in relative elemental growth rate patterns in the elongation zone of Arabidopsis roots upon gravistimulation. Planta 206:598-603.

  90. Mullen J, Turk E, Johnson K, Wolverton C, Ishikawa H, Simmons C,S"ll D, Evans ML. (1998) Root growth behavior of the Arabidopsis mutant rgr1: the roles of gravitropism and circumnutation in the waving/coiling phenomenon. Plant Physiology 118:1139-1145.

  91. Wolterton C, Mullen JL, Aizawa S, Yoshizaka I, Kamigaichi S, Mukai C, Shimazu T, Fukui K, Evans ML, Ishikawa H. (1999) Inhibition of root elongation in microgravity by an applied electric field. J Plant Research 112: 493-496.

  92. Wolverton C, Lewis B, Evans ML, Ishikawa H, Spalding E. Suppression of Arabidopsis root gravitropism by the anion channel inhibitor 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid [NPPB]. In preparation.

Books

  1. Plants: Their Biology and Importance. (co-author, P.B. Kaufman, ed.) Harper and Row Publ. Co. 1989 (757 pp).
Revised: 3-jul-07

PCMB NEWS

A MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) sponsored post-doctoral position is available in the Department of Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology/Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, starting on August 1st 2008.

The researcher will work in the field of mitochondria biogenesis and study the assembly process of c-type cytochromes, a class of hemoproteins with covalent attachment of the heme co-factor to a CXXCH motif on the apocytochrome. Cytochromes c are versatile molecules that function in electron transfer reactions but also in signaling the death pathways. Their assembly process is not understood and in humans mutations in the only known cytochrome c assembly factor cause a neurodevelopmental disease with cardiomyopathic manifestations.

The future hire will use yeast as an experimental system and focus on 1) elucidating the biochemical activity of Cyc2p a novel mitochondrial flavoprotein that controls a yet-to-be-defined redox step in the heme attachment reaction to apocytochrome and 2) identifying additional mammalian cytochrome-c assembly factors. Because we suspect a role of Cyc2p in thiol-based chemistry, the researcher will also take part in on-going genetic experiments to 3) further dissect the pathway(s) that operate in intermembrane thiol-based redox chemistry. Thiol-based chemistry in the mitochondrial intermembrane space is a recent and novel development in the field since the discovery of catalysts that promote disulfide bond formation. Molecular genetics and biochemical approaches will be used to answer the scientific questions we are interested in. Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and a list of three referees to Dr. Patrice Hamel at hamel.16@osu.edu. Use Post-doctoral Position in the subject line. For additional information, see also Dr. Hamel's Web Site.

Erich Grotewold Receives Grant from US-Israeli Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund

We are pleased to announce that Erich Grotewold has been awarded another new grant. This is a 3-year award from the US-Israeli Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund. It is in the amount of $137,000 and is entitled "Regulation of tomato fruit development by interacting MYB proteins."

Erich Grotewold Receives DOE And NSF Grants

Erich Grotewold has been awarded 3-year grant in the amount o $449,390 from the DOE, entitled "Engineering phenolic metabolism in the grasses using transcription factors."

Erich has also been awarded a second, major grant from NSF (Plant Genome). It is a 3-year award in the amount of $2,479,632 entitled "The Grass Regulome Initiative: Integrating control of gene expression and agronomic traits across the grasses.

David Somers' Lab Published In Nature

David Somers’ group has published an article in Nature (Sept. 20) entitled, “ZEITLUPE is a circadian photoreceptor stabilized by GIGANTEA in blue light.” Woe-Yeon Kim and Sumire Fujiwara are co-first authors.

Erich Grotewold Awarded USDA Grant

Erich Grotewold has been awarded a grant from the USDA in the amount of $201,025 for a two-year study entitled, “Transposons as gene control elements.”

Rebecca Lamb Receives OPBC Award

Rebecca Lamb has received an award of $57,567 over two years from the OPBC for a study entitled, ”Two Arabidopsis WWE-PARP proteins involved in abiotic stress response and development.”

Plant Biotechnology In-Floor Seminar Series Schedule

Follow the link below for a schedule of informal 30-40 min seminars that will take place at noon on Fridays in room 189 of Rightmire Hall.
Schedule [pdf]

News Archive

Read past information and news articles.