Craven Lab
Research
Research emphasis: fungal endophytes
Craven and his researchers study fungal endophytes of grasses, which live inside the plants and often have a mutually-beneficial relationship with their hosts.
Craven's lab works on two primary projects. Since many of the most beneficial endophytes are naturally-occurring genetic hybrids, Craven's team will attempt to develop artificial hybrids, which will allow scientists to tailor endophytes with host-specific qualities.
Craven also researches the development of warm-season grass endophytes. Since most well-studied fungal endophytes are specific for cool-season grasses, a warm-season variety could enhance crops grown in the spring and summer, particularly biomass feedstocks, such as switchgrass.
Personnel
Ghimire, S. R., & Craven, K. D. (2011). Enhancement of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) biomass production under drought conditions by the ectomycorrhizal fungus Sebacina vermifera. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 77 (19), 7063-7067 doi:10.1128/?AEM.05225-11.
Ghimire, S. R., & Craven, K. D. (2011). The ectomycorrhizal fungus Sebacina vermifera, enhances biomass production of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) under drought conditions. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, August, doi:10.1128/AEM.05225-11.
Shoji, J., & Craven, K. D. (2011). Autophagy in basal hyphal compartments: A green strategy of great recyclers. Fungal Biology Reviews, 25 (2), 79-83 doi:10.1016/j.fbr.2011.04.001.
Li, H., Barker, M., Grahl, N., Puttikamonkul, S., Bell, J., Craven, K. D., & Cramer, Jr, A. (2011). The small GTPase RacA mediates intracellular reactive oxygen species production, polarized growth, and virulence in the human fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus. Eukaryotic Cell, 10 (2), 174–186 doi:10.1128/EC.00288-10.
Ghimire, S. R. , Rudgers, J., Charlton, N. D. , Young, C. A., & Craven, K. D. (2011). Prevalence of an intraspecific Neotyphodium hybrid in natural populations of stout wood reed (Cinna arundinacea L.) from eastern North America. Mycologia, 103 (1), 75-84 doi:10.3852/10-154 .
Search PubMed- Employ high-throughput 454 sequencing technology to characterize microbial bio-diversity in natural grasslands and stressed environments
- Use warm-season fungal endophytes to create superior switchgrass symbioses for bioethanol production
- Use functional and comparative genomic approaches to dissect signaling pathways related to foraging and colonial behavior in a variety of fungi
