David Marks

Professor, Department of Plant Biology
Ph.D., Purdue University, 1985.

Molecular genetic control of cell fate in plants

Contact Information

Mailing Address:

Dr. M. David Marks
Dept. of Plant Biology
University of Minnesota
250 Biological Science Center
1445 Gorner Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55108

Office: 468 Biological Sciences Center, (612) 625-6737
Lab: 476 Biological Sciences Center, (612) 624-3607
Fax: (612) 625-5754
E-mail: marks004@umn.edu

Research Strengths

Plant Cell and Molecular Biology
Developmental Mechanisms
Regulation of Gene Expression

Research Techniques

Arabidopsis thaliana genetics
Agrobacterium- mediated transformation of Arabidopsis thaliana
GUS reporter promoter and gene fusions
In situ localization of RNA using chemiluminescent detection

Fig. 1. Scanning electron micrograph demonstrating the different developmental stages of trichome morphogenesis. Numbers positioned at the lower right corner of each cell indicate the specific developmental stages.

(A) Early stages of wild-type morphogenesis:
Stage 1) radial expansion of the trichome precursor in the plane of the leaf.
Stage 2) stalk emergence and expansion.
Stage 3) formation of branch structures.
Stage 4) expansion of the stalk and branches, which have blunt tips.

(B) Late stages of wild-type trichome development.
Stage 5) continued expansion of the stalk and branches, which develop pointed tips.
Stage 6) mature trichome with papillate surface.

(C) Late stages of trichome development in the gl2 mutant. Bar=10 mm.

Research Interests

Pot containing Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. The plants are approximately 30 days old.

The focus of my research is on how plants make simple developmental decisions. I am using the development of trichomes on the plant Arabidopsis thaliana as a model to study this process. Trichomes are unicellular hairs found on the surface of the plant. Recessive mutations that effect the location, spacing, initiation and expansion of trichomes have been identified. My short term goal is to isolate and characterize the genes defined by these mutations. The long range goal is to understand how genes involved in trichome formation interact to affect the differentiation of a unique cell type. I believe this system will provide a useful paradigm to which the differentiation of other cell types can be compared.

This system is of practical importance. The trichomes of many plant species provide the first line of defense against unfavorable environmental forces. Unfortunately, many crop species, such as canola, lack these protective hairs. Results from our studies may provide useful information on how to enhance trichome development on others plant species.

Selected Publications

MD Marks, JP Wenger, E Gilding, R Jilk, and RA Dixon (2009) Transcriptome analysis of Arabidopsis wild-type and gl3-sst sim trichomes identifies four additional genes required for trichome development Molecular Plant 2, in press

MD Marks, L Tian, JP Wenger, S. Omburo, W Soto-Fuentes, J He, DR Gang, GD Weiblen, and RA Dixon (2009) Identification of candidate genes affecting Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol biosynthesis in Cannabis sativa. JXB in press

Marks MD, Betancur L, Gilding E, Chen F, Bauer S, Wenger JP, Dixon RA, Haigler CH. (2008) A new method for isolating large quantities of Arabidopsis trichomes for transcriptome, cell wall and other types of analyses. Plant J. 56:483-92. cover article

Wenger JP and Marks MD (2008) E2F and retinoblastoma related proteins may regulate GL1 expression in developing Arabidopsis trichomes. Plant Signaling & Behavior 3:420-422.

Marks MD, Gilding E, Wenger JP. (2007) Genetic interaction between glabra3-shapeshifter and siamese in Arabidopsis thaliana converts trichome precursors into cells with meristematic activity. Plant J. 522:352-61.

Esch, J.J., MA Chen, M Hillestad, M. D. Marks (2004) Comparison of TRY and the closely related At1g01380 gene in controlling Arabidopsis trichome patterning. Plant Journal 40:860-869.
cover article

Esch, J.J. MA Chen, Mark S, M Hillestad, S Ndkium, B Idelkope,, J Neizer1 and M. D. Marks (2003) A contradictory GLABRA3 allele helps define gene interactions controlling trichome development in Arabidopsis. Development 130, 5885-5894.

Marks, M.D. & Jeffrey J. Esch (2003) Initiating Inhibition: Control of epidermal cell patterning in plants. EMBO Reports 4: 24-25.

Past publications with over 100 citations (as of January 09)

Szymanski, D.B., A.M. Lloyd, M.D. Marks (2000) Progress in the molecular genetic analysis of trichome initiation and morphogenesis in Arabidopsis. Trends in Plant Biology 5:214-219
cover article

Szymanski, D. B., M. D. Marks, and S. Wick (1999) Organized F-Actin is essential for normal trichome morphogenesis in Arabidopsis Plant Cell 11:2331-2347.

Walker, A.R., P.A. Davison, A.C Bolognesi-Winfield, C.M. James, N. Srinivasan, T.L. Blundell, J.J. Esch, M.D. Marks, and J.C. Gray (1999) The TTG1 (Transparent Testa, Glabra1) locus which regulates trichome differentiation and anthocyanin biosynthesis in Arabidopsis encodes a WD40-repeat protein. Plant Cell 11: 1337-1350.

Szymanski, D.B., R.A. Jilk, S.M. Pollock, and M.D. Marks (1998) Control of GL2 expression in Arabidopsis leaves and trichomes. Development 125:1161-1171.
cover article

Larkin, J.C., M.D. Marks, J. Nadeau, and F. Sack (1997) Epidermal cell fate and patterning in leaves. The Plant Cell 9:1109-1120.
cover article

Oppenheimer, D.G., M.A. Pollock, J. Vacik, D.B. Szymanski, B. Ericson, K. Feldmann, and M.D. Marks (1997) Essential role of a kinesin-like protein in Arabidopsis trichome morphogenesis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:6261- 6266.

Larkin, J.C., N. Young, M. Prigge, and M.D. Marks (1996) The control of trichome spacing and number in Arabidopsis. Development 122:997-1005

Masucci, J.D., W.G. Rerie, D.R. Foreman, M. Zhang, M.E. Galway, M.D. Marks, and J.W. Schiefelbein (1996) The homeobox gene GLABRA 2 is required for position-dependent cell differentiation in the root epidermis of Arabidopsis thaliana. Development 122:1253-1260.

Rerie, W.G., K.A. Feldmann, and M.D. Marks (1994) The GLABRA2 gene encodes a homeo domain protein required for normal trichome development in Arabidopsis. Genes & Development 8:1388-1399.

Larkin, J.C., D.G. Oppenheimer, S. Pollock, and M.D. Marks (1993) Arabidopsis GLABROUS1 gene requires downstream sequences for function. The Plant Cell 5:1739-1748.

Oppenheimer, D., P.L. Herman, J. Esch, S. Sivakumaran, and M.D. Marks (1991) A myb gene required for leaf trichome differentiation in Arabidopsis is expressed in stipules. Cell 67:483-493.
cover article

Feldmann, K.A., M.D. Marks, M.L. Christianson, and R.S. Quatrano (1989) A dwarf mutant of Arabidopsis generated by T-DNA insertion mutagenesis. Science 243:1351-1354.
cover article
Feldmann, K.A., and M.D. Marks (1987) Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of germinating seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana: A non-tissue culture approach. Mol. Gen. Genet. 208:1-9.

^*refereed

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