Jody Jellison

Professor of Biological Sciences
Cooperating Prof. of Microbiology
Cooperating Professor of Forest Ecosystem Sciences

PhD Oregon State University 1983

313 Hitchner Hall
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469

Phone: 207 581-2995
Fax: 202 581-2969
Email: Jellison@umit.maine.edu

Research Interests:

Our laboratory focuses on the physiology, molecular biology and ecology of wood degrading fungi. We work primarily with the brown rot fungi. These organisms are an important component of nutrient cycling in coniferous forests and are economically significant because of their ability to attack and degrade wood products. Brown rot fungi are also potentially of interest in biotechnological applications including bioremediation and bioproducts design.

On-going Projects:

The laboratory currently has funded projects in the following areas:

• Metal transport and toxicity in the brown rot fungi.
• The production of the enyzmes cellobiose dehydrogenase and benzoquinone reductase by wood inhabiting fungi.
• Wood modification by brown rot fungi - chemical characterization studies
• Detection and characterization of wood biodegradation using molecular analysis
• Role of fungi in biotransformation and nutrient cycling in the forest ecosystem:

Selected Publications:

Jellison, J., C. Jasalavich and A. Ostrofsky. 2002. Detecting and identifying wood decay fungi using DNA analysis. In: Recent Developments in Wood Deterioration and Preservation. American Chemical Society In press.

Kelley, S., J. Jellison, and B. Goodell. 2002. NIR and MBMS multivariate analysis of the chemical changes associated with the brown rot biodegradation of spruce wood. FEMS Microbiology Letters. 209:107-111.

Goodell, B., Y. Qian, J. Jellison, M. Richard and W. Qi. 2002. Lignocellulose oxidation by low molecular weight metal-binding compounds isolated from wood degrading fungi: A comparison of brown rot and white rot systems and the potential application of chelator-mediated Fenton reactions. Biotechnology in the Pulp and Paper Industry. Progress in Biotechnology 21 37-47.

Jellison, J. and C. Jasalavich. 2000. Selected methods for the detection of degradative fungi. International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation. 46:241-244.

Jasalavich, C. A., Ostrofsky, A. and J. Jellison. 2000. Detection and identification of decay fungi in spruce wood byrestriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of amplified genes encoding rRNA. Applied and Environ. Microbiol. 66:4725-4734.

Jellison, J., B. Goodell, J. Connolly, and A. Ostrofsky. 2000. Wood decay. in The Encyclopedia of Plant Pathology John Wiley and Sons, N.Y. Eds. O. C. Maloy and T.D. Murray.

Jellison, J. 2000. Brown rot fungi. in The Encyclopedia of Plant Pathology John Wiley and Sons, N.Y. Eds. O. C. Maloy and T.D. Murray.

Connolly, J., W. Shortle and J. Jellison. 1999. Mineral translocation by non-mycorrhizal fungi. Can. J. Bot. 77:179-187.

Jellison, J., Y. Chen and F. Fekete. 1997. Regulation of hyphal sheath formation and bio-chelator production by the brown-rot fungi Gloeophyllum trabeum and Postia placenta Holzfor. 51:503-510.

Connolly, J. H., and J. Jellison. 1997. Two-way translocation of cations in the brown rot fungus Gloeophyllum trabeum. Int. Biodegrad. Biodet. 39:181-188.

Jellison, J. Connolly, J.H., Goodell, B., Doyle, B. Illman, B., Fekete, F., and A. Ostrofsky. 1997. The role of cations in the biodegradation of wood by the brown rot fungi. Int. Biodegrad. Biodet. 39:165-179.

Ostrofsky, A., J. Jellison, K. Smith and W. Shortle. 1997. Cation concentrations in red spruce wood undergoing fungal biodegradation. Can. J. For. 27:567-571.

Connolly, J. and J. Jellison. 1997. Scanning electron microscopic examination of calcium oxalate crystal formation in six degradative fungi. Scanning Microscopy 10:385-400.