Professor of Biology, Chair of Biology Department
Department of Biology
Office - Science Center 229
Research Lab - Science Center 206
Phone: 610-660-1826
Fax: 610-660-1832
Email: ksnetsel@sju.edu
Website: http://www.sju.edu/biology/ksweb/homepg.htm
Education
B.L.S (1989), from Iowa State University
M.S. (1989) in Botany (Mycology), from Iowa State University
Ph.D (1993) in Plant Pathology (Mycology), from University of Georgia.
Professional Experience
Assistant Professor (1993 - 2000), Associate Professor (2000 - 2003), and Professor (2003 - present) of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Chair (2008 - present) Department of Biology, Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, PA.
Courses Taught
Bio III: Organismal
Light and Electron Microscopy
Plant Systematics
Plants and Civilization (non-majors)
Research
Although I have worked with a number of different fungi, most work in the lab currently revolves around the fungus Ustilago maydis, which causes smut disease of corn plants. Research students have been involved in several different projects. Most recent work has addressed questions concerning how the fungus chooses the sites for infection in the host plant. Availability of a variety of mutants and the fact that the genome of the corn smut fungus has been sequenced have provided new tools for these studies. Another line of work is investigating overwintering of the fungus in fields.
Publications
Undergraduate student authors are indicated with a * and M.S. students by **.
Peer-reviewed publications (selected)
McCann, M., and Snetselaar, K. 2008. A genome-based analysis of amino acid metabolism in the biotrophic plant pathogen Ustilago maydis. Fungal Genetics and Biology Thematic Issue: Ustilago maydis. S77-S87.
Kämper, J., R. Kahmann, M. Bölker, L. Ma, T. Brefort, B. J. Saville, F. Banuett, J. W. Kronstad, S. E. Gold, O. Müller, M. H. Perlin, H. A.B. Wösten, R. deVries, J. Ruiz-Herrera, C. G. Reynaga-Peña, K. Snetselaar, M.l McCann, J. Pérez-Martín, M. Feldbrügge,C. W. Basse, G. Steinberg, J. I. Ibeas, W. Holloman, P. Guzman, M. Farman, J. E. Stajich, R. Sentandreu, J. M. González-Prietro, J. C. Kennell, L. Molina, J. Schirawski, A. Mendoza-Mendoza, D. Greilinger, K. Münch, N. Rössel, M. Scherer, M. Vranes, O. Ladendorf, V. Vincon, U. Fuchs, B. Sandrock, S. Meng, E. C.H. Ho, M. J. Cahill, K. J. Boyce, J. Klose, S. J. Klosterman, H. J. Deelstra, L. Ortiz-Castellanos, W. Li, P. Sanchez-Alonso, P. H. Schreier, I. Häuser-Hahn, M. Vaupel, E.Koopmann,G. Friedrich, H. Voss, T. Schlüter, J. Margolis, D. Platt,C. Swimmer, A. Gnirke, F. Chen, V. Vysotskaia, G. Mannhaupt, U. Güldener, M. Münsterkötter, D. Haase, Ma. Oesterheld, H. Mewes, E. W. Mauceli, D. DeCaprio, C. M. Wade, J. Butler, S. Young, D. D. Jaffe, S. Calvo, C. Nusbaum, J. Galagan, and B. W. Birren. 2006. Insights from the genome of the biotrophic fungal plant pathogen Ustilago maydis. Nature 444: 97-101.
Pataky, J. K., and K. M. Snetselaar. 2006. Common smut of corn. The Plant Health Instructor. DOI:10.1094/PHI-I-2006-0927-01 Published on the web at http://www.apsnet.org/Education/LessonsPlantPath/CornSmut/default.htm
Schirawski, J., Bohnert, H.U., Steinberg, G., Snetselaar, K., Adamikova, L., and Kahmann, R. 2005. Endoplasmic reticulum glucosidase II is required for pathogenicity of Ustilago maydis. The Plant Cell 17: 3532-3543.
Mullin, J.M., Leatherman, J. M., Valenzano, M. C., Huerta, E. R., Verrechio, J., Smith, D. M., Snetselaar, K., Liu, M., Francis, M. K., and Sell, C. 2005. Ras mutation impairs epithelial barrier function to a wide range of nonelectrolytes. Molecular Biology of the Cell 16: 5538-5550.
Snetselaar, K. M., *M. A. Carfioli, and *K.M Cordisco. 2001. Pollination can protect maize ovaries from infection by Ustilago maydis, the corn smut fungus. Canadian Journal of Botany 79:1390-1399.
**Fischer, J. A., McCann, M.P., and Snetselaar, K. M. 2001. Methylation is involved in the U. maydis mating response. Fungal Genetics and Biology. 34:21-35.
Selected recent abstracts/presentations
Snetselaar, K. , *L. Vasta, *J. Jennings, M. McCann. 2007. Location of Ustilago maydis infection structures on maize silks. Annual meeting Mycological Society of America, August 5-10, 2007, Baton Rouge LA.
Snetselaar, K., and M. McCann. 2006. Host-pathogen interface in Ustilago maydis. Proceedings of the 3rd Ustilago maydis meeting, held in Guanajuato, Mexico. (Also a presentation at this meeting.)
Snetselaar, K., **S. Yerrum and M. McCann. 2005. Filamentous growth and septation in Ustilago maydis. Molecular Biology of the Cell: 16: Supplement. Also presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology, in San Francisco.
**Carre, Carlos, McCann, Michael, and Snetselaar, Karen. 2004. Inducing Ustilago maydis infection structures. Presented at the Mycological Society of American annual meeting, Ashevelle NC, July 2004.
**Dawley, M., **Seminack, M., McCann, M., and Snetselaar, K. 2004. Characterizing a Co-enzyme A synthesis gene from Ustilago maydis. Presented at the Mycological Society of American annual meeting, Ashevelle NC, July 2004.
*Marchese, R., *J. McLaughlin, *L. Voisey, *L. Gorgol, M. McCann, and K. Snetselaar. 2004. Isolation of Ustilago maydis from soil. Meeting of the Mycological Society of America, Ashville, N.C.
**Mothey, D., K. Snetselaar, and M. McCann. 2004. Functional complementation of an mRNA processing gene from Ustilago. Meeting of the Mycological Society of America, Ashville, N.C.
Snetselaar, K. M., **A. Gopinathan, and M. McCann. 2004. Multiple roles of cAMP in filamentous growth of Ustilago maydis. Meeting of the Mycological Society of America, Ashville, N.C.
*Fertala, J., and M. McCann. 2003. Cloning and characterization of the MET2 gene from Ustialgo maydis. Joint meeting of Mycological Society of America and British Mycological Society. Asilomar, CA.
Snetselaar, K. M., **C. Carre, Jr., and M. McCann. 2003. Nuclear condition in Ustilago filaments and teliospores. Joint meeting of Mycological Society of America and British Mycological Society. Asilomar, CA.
**Gopinathan, A., K. Snetselaar, and M. McCann. 2003. Ustilago maydis uac mutants elicit a host response in maize leaves. 22nd Fungal Genetics Conference, Asilomar, CA.
Snetselaar, K.M. and M. McCann . 2002. Filamentous growth in Ustilago maydis. First International Ustilago maydis meeting, Marburgh, Germany.
Snetselaar, K. M., and M. P. McCann. 2001. From bud to appressorium: Morphology of the Ustilago maydis transition from saprobic to parasitic growth. Symposium presentation at the 2001 joint meeting of APS, MSA, SON. *Rucker, E., *C. Carre, *J. Dougherty III, M. McCann and K. Snetselaar. 2001. Using auxotrophs of the corn smut fungus to identify nutrients obtained from the plant by the pathogen during infection. In press. Proceedings National Conference on Undergraduate Research XV.
*Walmsley, D., M. McCann and K. Snetselaar. 2001. Using 2-D gel electrophoresis to identify proteins synthesized during mating in Ustilago maydis. In press. Proceedings National Conference on Undergraduate Research XV.
Snetselaar, K., S. Lee, *A. Nguyen and M. McCann. 2000. Using microdensitometry and image analysis to study nuclear cycle events in a plant pathogenic fungus. Microsc. Microanal. 6: 686-687.
