• B.S., 1972, University of Georgia, Chemistry, Zoology.
• Ph.D., 1975, University of Georgia, Molecular Genetics.
• Postdoctoral research: California Institute of Technology.

Joined the department in 1983.

Associations: Biological Clocks Program, Faculty of Molecular and Environmental Plant Sciences, Laboratory for Functional Genomics (Director).

Terry Thomas
Professor

3258 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-3258

Office:
Biological Sciences Building East
Room 202B
979-845-0184

Lab:
Biological Sciences Building East
Room 201
979-845-0663

Fax: 979-847-8805
Email: terry@bio.tamu.edu

Curriculum Vitae

  My interests are evolutionarily broad and include animals, plants and fungi. A major focus of the lab is the genomic analysis of gene expression programs during plant gene expression programs, particularly during embryogenesis and seed development, and the underlying regulatory mechanisms required for the initiation and maintenance of these programs. This work has illustrated the combinatorial interactions of cis and trans -acting factors that result in specific gene regulatory events. We are also using genomics tools to study the interaction of the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe grisea , with plant hosts; the circadian control of gene expression; and the development of the vertebrate retina. An additional focal area is the utilization of molecular and cellular approaches for crop improvement. As part of these research activities, we have developed or adapted high throughput genomics approaches to accelerate the gene discovery process and subsequent analysis of gene expression and function.

1. Bennett LD, Beremand P, Thomas TL & Bell-Pedersen D (2013) Circadian activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase MAK-1 facilitates rhythms in clock-controlled genes in Neurospora crassa. Eukaryot Cell 12:59-69 Full text
2. Alvarado VY, Tag A & Thomas TL (2011) A cis regulatory element in the TAPNAC promoter directs tapetal gene expression. Plant Mol Biol 75:129-39 Full text
3. Karaganis SP, Kumar V, Beremand PD, Bailey MJ, Thomas TL & Cassone VM (2008) Circadian genomics of the chick pineal gland in vitro. BMC Genomics 9:206 Full text
4. Menger GJ, Allen GC, Neuendorff N, Nahm SS, Thomas TL, Cassone VM & Earnest DJ (2007) Circadian profiling of the transcriptome in NIH/3T3 fibroblasts: comparison with rhythmic gene expression in SCN2.2 cells and the rat SCN. Physiol Genomics 29:280-9 Full text
5. Holtman CK, Chen Y, Sandoval P, Gonzales A, Nalty MS, Thomas TL, Youderian P & Golden SS (2005) High-throughput functional analysis of the Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 genome. DNA Res 12:103-15 Full text
6. Gray CA, Abbey CA, Beremand PD, Choi Y, Farmer JL, Adelson DL, Thomas TL, Bazer FW & Spencer TE (2006) Identification of endometrial genes regulated by early pregnancy, progesterone, and interferon tau in the ovine uterus. Biol Reprod 74:383-94 Full text
7. Bell-Pedersen D, Cassone VM, Earnest DJ, Golden SS, Hardin PE, Thomas TL & Zoran MJ (2005) Circadian rhythms from multiple oscillators: lessons from diverse organisms. Nat Rev Genet 6:544-56 Full text
8. Bailey MJ, Beremand PD, Hammer R, Reidel E, Thomas TL & Cassone VM (2004) Transcriptional profiling of circadian patterns of mRNA expression in the chick retina. J Biol Chem 279:52247-54 Full text
9. Bailey MJ, Beremand PD, Hammer R, Bell-Pedersen D, Thomas TL & Cassone VM (2003) Transcriptional profiling of the chick pineal gland, a photoreceptive circadian oscillator and pacemaker. Mol Endocrinol 17:2084-95 Full text
10. Kim SY, Ma J, Perret P, Li Z & Thomas TL (2002) Arabidopsis ABI5 subfamily members have distinct DNA-binding and transcriptional activities. Plant Physiol 130:688-97 Full text

Patents

Chimeric Plant Genes Based on Upstream Regulatory Elements of Helianthinin T. Thomas, M. Bogue, M LeBrun and G. Freyssinet. USPTO Patent Nos. 5,824,865 (10/20/98), 5,859,325 (1/12/99), 5,905,186 (5/18/99).

Production of Gamma Linolenic Acid by a delta-6 -Desaturase T. Thomas, A.S Reddy, M. Nuccio and G. Freyssinet. USPTO Patent Nos. 5,552,306 (9/3/96); 5,614,393 (3/25/97); 5,663,068 (9/2/97); 5,789,220 (8/4/98).

Several other patents dealing with delta-6 -desaturase genes from various sources and with novel promoters we have developed have also been issued.