Nemat O. Keyhani

Associate Professor

Department of Microbiology and Cell Science University of Florida 
Ph.D. (1994) Johns Hopkins University

Teaching Interest

MCB 4304 Molecular Genetics of Prokaryotes

Description of Research

Our laboratory performs research in three main areas: (1) host-pathogen interactions between Beauveria bassiana, a fungal pathogen of arthropods, and their insect hosts, (2) directed evolution of fungi. Adaptation and improvement of fungi for biotechnological applications, and (3) development of novel surface active biopolymers.

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Selected Publications

Zhang, S., Xia, Y., Kim, B., and Keyhani, N.O. (2011) Two hydrophobins are involved in fungal spore coat rodlet layer assembly and each play distinct roles in surface interactions, development, and pathogenesis in the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana, Mol. Micobiol. 80: 811-826

Zhang, S., Xia, Y., and Keyhani, N.O. (2011) Contribution of the gas1 gene of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana,encoding a putative GPI-anchored b-glucanosyltransferase to conidial thermotolerance and virulence. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 77: 2676-2684

Fan, Y., Zhang, S., Kruer-Zerhusen, N., and Keyhani, N.O. (2011) High-throughput insertion mutagenesis and screening of clones of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. J Invert Pathology 106: 274-279

Kirkland, B.H. and Keyhani, N.O. (2011) Expression and purification of a functionally active Class I fungal hydrophobin from the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana in E. coli. J Indust Micro & Biotech 38: 327-335

Pedrini, N., Zhang, S., Juarez, M.P., Keyhani, N.O. (2010) Molecular characterization and expression analysis of a suite of cytochrome P450 enzymes implicated in insect hydrocarbon degradation in the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Microbiology 156: 2549-2557

Zhang, S., Fan, Y., Xia, Y. X., and Keyhani, N.O. (2010) Sulfonylurea resistance as a new selectable marker for the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Appl Microbiol and Biotech 87:1151-1156

Bidochka, M.J., Clark, D.C., Lewis, M.W., and Keyhani, N.O. (2010) Could insect phagocytic avoidance by entomogenous fungi have evolved via selection against soil amoeboid predators? Microbiology 156:2164-2171

de Crecy, E., Jaronski, S., Lyons, B., Lyons, T.J., and Keyhani, N.O. (2009) Directed evolution of a filamentous fungus for thermotolerance. BMC Biotechnology 9(1):74

Lewis, M.W., Robalino, I.V., and Keyhani, N.O. (2009) Uptake of the fluorescent probe FM4-64 by hyphae and hemolymph-derived in vivo hyphal bodies of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Microbiology 155: 3110-3120

Wanchoo, A., Lewis, M.W., and Keyhani, N.O. (2009) Lectin mapping reveals stage-specific display of surface carbohydrates in in vitro and hemolymph derived cells of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana. Microbiology 155: 3121-3133

Kurtti, T. and Keyhani, N.O. (2008) Intracellular infection of tick cell lines by the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. Microbiology 154: 1700-1709

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