Melody Hemmati PhD

Scientist at Monsanto
Experience
Scientist at Monsanto at (Monsanto, American Agricultural Biotechnology Corporation)
April 2013 - Present (1 year 3 months)
http://www.linkedin.com/company/monsanto
Quality Assurance Analyst at IRE/GTL Renewables & Environment
July 2009 - April 2013 (3 years 10 months)
http://www.linkedin.com/company/illinois-river-energy
Research Assistant at Southern Illinois University
2005 - 2009 (4 years)
Education
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Genomics & Bioinformatics
Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
Master of Science, Molecular Biology & Biotechnology
Skills & Expertise
Biotechnology
Bioinformatics
HPLC
PCR
Molecular Biology
LIMS
Lifesciences
GC (Gas Chromatography)
IC (Ion Chromatography)
DNA extraction
RNA extraction
Mini Prep
DNA cloning
Mutagenesis
Sequence Annotation
Homology Based Annotation
DNA sequence analysis
Protein sequence analysis
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AFLP
RFLP
BLAST
BLASTn
BLASTp
SNP Polymorphism Analysis
Statistical Analysis
Yeast Genome
Soybean Genome
Microbial Identification System
Industrial Fermentation
Publications
Annotation of Cultivar Variations at the Multigenic Rhg1/Rfs2 Locus of Soybean
International Plant & Animal Genome XXII Conference January 13, 2014
Authors: Melody Hemmati PhD
Authers:
Hemmati, MN and Lightfoot, DA
Abstract
Soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr. suffers major seed yield losses due to root pathogens: Heterodera glycine I.
(agent of soybean cyst nematode SCN or moonlight disease) and Fusarium virguliforme agent of sudden
death syndrome (SDS). The major resistance locus to both pathogens was the Rhg1/Rfs2 locus located at a
sub-telomeric region of the soybean chromosome 18 (molecular linkage group G). This locus also associated
with reduction of plant seed yield. A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clone, (B73P06) of 82,157 bp,
with an insert, the Rfs2/Rhg1, locus was sequenced. Analysis of sequence identified 800 SNPs. There
were.........
A Mutated Yeast Strain with Enhanced Ethanol Production Efficiency and Stress Tolerance.
Atlas Journal of Biology May 6, 2012
Authors: Melody Hemmati PhD
Authers:
Hemmati, MN and Lightfoot, DA
Abstract
One of the strategies to improve and optimize bio-ethanol
production from new feed stocks is to develop new strains
of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with tolerance to stresses. The
main objectives here were to; generate S. cerevisiae mutants
tolerant to high ethanol concentrations; test for their ability
to ferment maize starch; and partially characterize the mutations
responsible for the new phenotypes. A combination
of mutagenesis, selection and cross-stress protection methods
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were used. EMS (ethyl methanesulfonate) was used to
mutagenize one S. cerevisiae strain. The mutagenized yeast
strain was exposed to high concentrations of ethanol and
tolerant mutants were isolated. Mutants showed improved
ethanol yield (0.02-0.03 g/g of maize) and fermentation efficiency
(3-5%). Finally, AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length
Polymorphism) was performed to identify polymorphisms in
the mutants that might underlie the strains ethanol tolerance.
The best performing mutant isolate had four altered gene
transcripts encoding; an arginine uptake and canavanine resistance
protein (CAN1); mitochondrial membrane proteins
(SLS1); a putative membrane glycoprotein (VTH1); and cytochrome
C oxidase (COX6; EC 1.9.3.1) among about 1,000
tested. It was concluded these mutations might underlie the
improved ethanol production efficiency and stress tolerance.
The receptor like kinase transgene at Rhg1/Rfs2 causes resistance to sudden death syndrome and
soybean cyst nematode
Plant and Animal Genome XX January 8, 2012
Authors: Melody Hemmati PhD
Authors:
Ali Srour ,Ahmed Jawaad Afzal ,Naghmeh Hemmati ,Daina Simmonds ,Laureen Blahut-Beatty ,Hemlata
Sharma, David A. Lightfoot, Chris Town , J. Craig and Wenbin Li
Abstract:
Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) resistance to any population of Heterodera glycines, the cyst nematode
(SCN) or Fusarium virguliforme agent of sudden death syndrome (SDS), required a functional allele at
Rhg1/Rfs2. SCN was an endemic, ancient, pest of soybean whereas F. virguliforme was a recent, regional,
pest. This study examined the role of a receptor like kinase (RLK) GmRLK18-1 (gene model
Gm_0121_x00208 at 1,071 kbp on chromosome 18 of the genome sequence) within the Rhg1/Rfs2 locus in
resistance to SCN and SDS. Sequence alignments showed the resistance allele was an introgressed region of
about 73.8 kbp. Analysis of plants that were either heterozygous at Rhg1/Rfs2 or transgenic and so
hemizygous with the resistance allele of GmRLK18-1 at a new location were made. Those plants infested
with either H. glycines or F. virguliforme showed that the allele for resistance was dominant. The RLK was
sufficient to confer nearly complete resistance to both root and leaf symptoms of SDS and provide partial
resistance to three different populations of nematodes (mature female cysts were reduced by 30-50%). A
reduction in the rate of early seedling root development was also shown to be caused by the resistance allele
of the GmRLK18-1. Field trials of transgenic plants showed an increase in foliar susceptibility to insect
herbivory. Proteomic analysis showed that GmRLK18-1 increased the abundance of proteins in the salicylic
acid pathways but interfered with jasmonate signaling involved in resistance to insect herbivory. The
inference that soybean has adapted part of an existing pathogen recognition and defense cascade (H.glycines;
SCN and insect herbivory) to a new pathogen (F. virguliforme; SDS) has broad implications for crop
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improvement.
The receptor like kinase at Rhg1-a/Rfs2 caused pleiotropic resistance to sudden
BMC Genomics August 2, 2012
Authors: Melody Hemmati PhD
Authors: A Srour, AJ Afzal, L Blahut-Beatty,N Hemmati, DH Simmonds, W Li, M Liu, CD Town,H Sharma,
P Arelli, D A Lightfoot
Abstract
Background
Soybean (Glycine max (L. Merr.)) resistance to any population of Heterodera glycines (I.), or Fusarium
virguliforme (Akoi, ODonnell, Homma & Lattanzi) required a functional allele at
Rhg1/Rfs2. H. glycines, the soybean cyst nematode (SCN) was an ancient, endemic, pest of soybean whereas
F. virguliforme causal agent of sudden death syndrome (SDS), was a recent,
regional, pest. This study examined the role of a receptor like kinase (RLK) GmRLK18-1 (gene model
Glyma_18_02680 at 1,071 kbp on chromosome 18 of the genome sequence)
within the Rhg1/Rfs2 locus in causing resistance to SCN and SDS.
Conclusions
The inference that soybean has adapted part of an existing pathogen recognition and defense
cascade (H.glycines; SCN and insect herbivory) to a new pathogen (F. virguliforme; SDS)
has broad implications for crop improvement. Stable resistance to many pathogens might be
achieved by manipulation the genes encoding a small number of pathogen recognition
proteins.
Recombination suppression at the dominant Rhg1/Rfs2 locus underlying soybean resistance to the cyst
nematode
Theor Appl Genet December 4, 2011
Authors: Melody Hemmati PhD
Authors:
Ahmed J. Afzal Ali Srour Navinder Saini Naghmeh Hemmati Hany A. El Shemy and David A.
Lightfoot
Abstract
Host resistance to yellow dwarf or moonlight disease cause by any population (Hg type) of Heterodera
glycines I., the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), requires a functional allele at rhg1. The host resistance
encoded appears to mimic an apoptotic response in the giant cells formed at the nematode feeding site about
2448 h after nematode feeding commences. Little is known about how the host response to infection is
mediated but a linked set of 3 genes has been identified within the rhg1 locus. This study aimed to identify
the role of the genes within the locus that includes a receptor-like kinase (RLK), a laccase and an ion
antiporter. Used were near isogeneic lines (NILs) that contrasted at their rhg1 alleles, gene-based markers,
and a new Hg type 0 and new recombination events. A syntenic gene cluster on Lg B1 was found. The
eVectiveness of SNP probes from the RLK for distinguishing homolog sequence variants on LgB1 from
alleles at the rhg1 locus on LgG was shown. The resistant allele of the rhg1 locus was shown to be dominant
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in NILs. None of the recombination events were within the cluster of the three candidate genes. Finally, rhg1
was shown to reduce the plant root development. A model for rhg1 as a dominant multi-gene resistance locus
based on the developmental control was inferred
Glycine max clone pCLD04541 Rhg1 gene locus, complete sequence
NCBI GenBank November 22, 2011
Authors: Melody Hemmati PhD
Authors:
Naghmeh Hemmati and David A. Lightfoot
Glycine max clone pCLD04541 Rhg1 gene locus, complete sequence
Soybean Systems Biology
Plant & Animal Genomes XIX Conference January 15, 2011
Authors: Melody Hemmati PhD
Authors:
David A Lightfoot , Ali Srour and Melody Hemmati
Over the past decade, investment in soybean cv. Forrest systems biology have resulted in the development of
many resources: (i) a saturated 50K SNP genetic map; (ii) three RIL populations (96>n>975); (iii) ~200
NILs; (iv) 115,220 BACs and BIBACs; (v) a physical map; (vi) 4 different minimum tiling path (MTP) sets;
(vii) 25,123 BAC end sequences (BES) that encompass 18.5 Mbp spaced out from the MTPs; (viii) a map of
2,408 regions each found at a single position in the genome and 2,104 regions found in 2 or 4 similar copies
at different genomic locations (each of >150 kbp); (ix) a map of homoeologous regions among both sets of
regions; (x) a set of transcript abundance measurements that address biotic stress resistance; (xi) methods for
transformation; (xii) methods for RNAi; (xiii) a TILLING resource for directed mutant isolation and (xiv)
analyses of conserved synteny with other sequenced genomes; (xv) maps of the proteome; (xvi)
understanding of the metabolome; (xii) a map of the interactome. Genes isolated from Forrest-derived BACs
include Rhg4 and rhg1, Rps5, Rps1 and Rfs2, Rfs3, Rfs1, GmNark, GmNod. Genes underlying many
quantitative and qualitative loci are targeted for isolation. There is a worldwide collaboration group. Data on
the Forrest genome are provided to the scientific community through SoyGD, LIS, Soybase and GenBank.
The SoyGD portal has been particularly useful for the analysis of important biological processes. Twenty five
thousand BES and 20 whole BAC sequences have provided a framework for pyrosequence to create a dense
public database of new genetic markers for soybean breeders. The SoyGD portal at
http:/soybeangenome.siu.edu integrates the chromosome map with the genome sequences, a new community
resource that identifies complete genes, a partial genome annotation and many thousands of SNP candidates
in introns and promoters of protein-coding genes.
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Melody Hemmati PhD
Scientist at Monsanto
Contact Melody on LinkedIn
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