Walter Gassmann , PhD

Gassmann received his Ph.D. from UC San Diego in 1996 researching plant membrane transporters in the lab of Dr. Julian Schroeder. As a post-doctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Brian Staskawicz, UC Berkeley, he cloned and characterized RPS4, one of the founding members of the Toll/Interleukin-1 Receptor – Nucleotide Binding Site – Leucine-Rich Repeat (TNL) class of plant innate immune receptors, that recognizes the presence of the bacterial effector protein AvrRps4. His lab at MU, which he started as an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Microbiology & Pathology in 2000, cloned the second antibacterial receptor of the same class, RPS6. His early work at MU focused on the fine-tuned regulation of RPS4 expression and function by alternative splicing of RPS4 transcripts. The reconstitution of RPS4 function by expressing a combination of constructs representing regular and alternative transcripts is one of the few direct demonstrations that alternative splicing has functional significance in plants.

Research

Areas of expertise

• Environmental Stress
• Plant Genetics
• Signal Transduction

Research Summary

Research in the Gassmann lab focuses on the plant innate immune system. In particular, interests include how the immune system is activated by pathogen-associated signals and how it is kept in check to prevent harmful side effects such as stunted growth and reduced seed yield that occur when the immune system is overactive. This builds on the discovery of new components of a plant’s immune machinery that contribute to tight control of immune and other stress responses.