Curriculum Vitae: Luis Escamilla-Treviño

Current Position
Post-doctoral fellow at The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Dr. Richard Dixon’s Lab studying lignin biosynthesis in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum).

Research Interest
I’m interested in a better understanding of lignin biosynthesis in plants toward its manipulation for reduced cell wall recalcitrance. It would make cellullosic ethanol production more efficient. Gene discovery, heterologous expression, enzyme biochemistry and plant molecular biology are the main approaches we are using. Also, I’m interested in using approaches like: enzyme mutagenesis, structure-function studies and over-expression in plants, to manipulate lignin content and composition.

Education
Ph.D., Biotechnology, April 2002, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza N.L., Mexico. Thesis: Production of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) trypsin in Pichia pastoris.

M.Sc., Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, June 1996, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey N.L., Mexico. Thesis: Biosynthesis of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone in Pichia pastoris and Escherichia coli

B.Sc., Pharmaceutics-Chemistry, July 1992, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey N.L., Mexico.

Professional Experience

• December 2007-Present: Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Richard Dixon’s Lab. Plant Biology Division, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, Oklahoma, USA.
• January 2005-December 2007: Postdoctoral Fellow in Dr. Xiaoqiang Wang’s Lab. Plant Biology Division, Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Ardmore, Oklahoma, USA. Structural Genomics of UDP-Glycosyltransferases from Medicago truncatula
• November 2001-December 2004: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Biology Science Department, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA. Funtional Genomics of Arabidopsis β-Glucosidase and β-Galactoside Gene Families.
• November 1996-September 1997, Technical Assistance in BioCiencia SA de CV, Monterrey N.L. México.
• October 1992-September 1993, Analyst Chemist in Wellcome México (Pharmaceutical Company) Monterrey N.L., Mexico.
• February-August 1992: Professional Practices in Cervecería Cuahutemoc S.A. (Brewing company). Monterrey N.L., Mexico

Publications

1. Modolo, L.V., Escamilla-Trevino, L.L., Dixon, R.A. and Wang, X. (2009). Single amino acid mutations of Medicago glycosyltransferase UGT85H2 enhance activity and impart reversibility. FEBS Letters, in press.
2. L. Li, L.V. Modolo, L.L. Escamilla-Treviño, L. Achnine, RA Dixon,  and X. Wang. Crystal Structure of Medicago trucatula UGT85H2- Insights into the Structural Bases of a Multifunctional (Iso)flavonoid glycosyltranferase. Journal of Molecular Biology, 370(5):951-963, 2007.
3. L.L. Escamilla-Treviño, W. Chen, M.L. Card, M.C. Shih, C.L. Cheng, J.E. Poulton. Arabidopsis thaliana β-Glucosidases BGLU45 and BGLU46 hydrolyse monolignol glucosides. Phytochemistry 67: 1651-1660, 2006.
4. Z. Xu, L.L. Escamilla-Treviño, L. Zeng, M. Lalgondar, D.R. Bevan, B.S.J. Winkel, A. Mohamed, C. Cheng, M. Shih, J.E. Poulton and A. Esen. Functional Genomic Analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana Glycoside Hydrolase Family 1. Plan Molecular Biology 55: 343-367, 2004.
5. M. Guerreo Olazarán, L.L. Escamilla Treviño, A. Van Wormhoudt, J. Sepúlveda Saavedra, J.M. Viader Salvadó. Effect of the expression in Pichia pastoris of a serin-protease over peroxisomal enzymes , Ciencia UANL IV(4): 448-553, 2001. [Spanish]
6.  L.L. Ecamilla Treviño, J.M. Viader Salvadó, H.A. Barrera Saldaña and M. Guerrero Olazarán, Biosynthesis and Secretion of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone in Pichia pastoris. Biotechnology Letters, 22(2):109-114, 2000.
7. M. Guerreo Olazarán, L.L. Escamilla Treviño, J.M. Viader Salvadó, H.A. Barrera Saldaña, Human Genome Proyect at the UANL, Part VIII: Production of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone in the Laboratory , Ciencia UANL 3(1): 78-86, 2000. [Spanish]
8. L.L. Escamilla Treviño, J.M. Viader Salvadó, M. Guerrero Olazarán; Production of Recombinant Proteins in Pichia pastoris; Ciencia UANL 2(2): 155-161, 1999. [Spanish]

Meeting Attendance and poster presentation (Last five):

• L.L. Escamilla-Treviño, H. Shen1, F. Chen1, T. Hernandez, T. Ray1, Y. Tang1, Y. Yin., Y. Xu2 and R.A. Dixon. “Functional Characterization and Genetic Analysis of Cinnamoyl CoA Reductase (CCR) Genes in Switchgrass”. The Science Retreat of BioEnergy Science Center, Chattanooga, TN, December 1-3, 2008.
• L.L. Escamilla-Trevino, L.V. Modolo, L. Li, R. A. Dixon, X. Wang. Mutagenesis studies of an (iso)flavonoid uridine diphosphateglycosyltransferase UGT85H2 from Medicago truncatula. The 21^st Symposium of The Protein Society, Boston MA, July 21-25, 2007.
• H. Shao, L.L. Escamilla-Trevino, L. Li, Z. Chang, L. Modolo, J.W. Blount, X. He, R.A. Dixon, X.Wang. Structural and Functional Studies of Uridine Diphosphate Glycosyltransferases from Medicago truncatula. Plant Biology 2006 Meeting, American Society of Plant Biologist. Boston MA, August 5 to 9, 2006.
• L.L. Escamilla-Treviño, A.K. Laust, J.M. Netland, B.R. Carroll, M. Shih, C. Cheng, J.E. Poulton. “Identification of Arabidopsis thaliana β-glucosidases that hydrolyse monolignol glucosides”. Plant Biology 2004 Meeting, American Society of Plant Biologist. Orlando FL, July 24 to 28, 2004.
• J.E. Poulton, Z. Xu, L.L. Escamilla-Treviño, L. Zeng, M. Shih, C. Cheng, A. Mohamed, T. Kishimoto, Y. Turan, M. Zheng, B. Winkel-Shirley, D. R. Bevan, A. Esen. “Expression and Characterization of Arabidopsis thaliana β-Glucosidases”. Plant Biology 2003 Meeting, American Society of Plant Biologist. Honolulu, Hawaii, July 25 to 30, 2003.

Techniques and Skills

• Molecular Biology Techniques: Plasmid and genomic DNA isolation, RNA isolation, plasmid construction, PCR, RT-PCR, relative RT-PCR Southern blot, Engineering recombinant protein production, use of DNA Facilities units for sequencing (sample preparation and electronic manage).
• Protein Techniques: Protein expression in E. coli and yeast, total protein determination, SDS-PAGE, ELISA, Immuno-Dot, Western-blot, Enzyme activity evaluation, Enzyme kinetics, Mutagenesis.
• Protein purification: Use of the FPLC AKTA Purifier, Ammonium sulfate fractionation, Size Molecular Exclusion, Ion Exchange, Hydrophobic Interactions and Affinity Chromatography (Use of 6-His tag or GST), dialysis, ultrafiltration, etc.
• Arabidopsis Techniques: Plate, Liquid and soil culture; Transformation (Dip method), Arabidopsis T-DNA Database (Salk Institute Genomic Analysis Laboratory).
• Others Techniques: Use of HPLC, fermentation, microorganism growth kinetics construction, microbiology techniques handing.
• Computation: Common programs handing: microsoft word, excel and power point; molecular biology programs: DNA Star, Gene Jockey, Oligo, Internet Molecular Biology Programs: Primer3, GCG Program, NEB Cutter, Chromas. Coot (model building and manipulation program), Sequence Scanner, etc.

Teaching and Invited Talks

• Invited speaker for a seminar in Oklahoma University, Department of Botany and Microbiology, entitled: “Overcoming Recalcitrance in Switchgrass to Improve Biofuel Production: Characterizing Monolignol Biosynthesis Genes”. December 11^th, 2008.
• Lecturer of several undergraduate and graduate courses of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology or Instructor in some Molecular Biology Practice courses. Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey N.L. Mexico.
• Laboratory advisor of several undergraduate students in the University of Iowa and The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation.

Languages

• Spanish (Native).
• English (Second language)