FAMU Entomology - Hyun-Woo Park

Research Interest:

My research interests focus on the molecular mechanisms that control synthesis and crystallization of endotoxins produced by the entomopathogenic bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis and B. sphaericus. Improving our knowledge of these aspects of endotoxin molecular biology is of both basic and applied value. A better understanding of the various genetic elements that control high levels of endotoxin synthesis is not only furthering our knowledge of protein synthesis in general, but is also contributing to the development of improved insecticidal bacteria. For example, by improving endotoxin yields per cell or per unit of fermentation medium, using recombinant DNA technology, I have made significant contributions to improving the insecticidal efficacy and cost-effectiveness of bacteria used in commercial insecticides. Similarly, a better understanding of the molecular basis of endotoxin crystallization could be useful for stabilizing insecticidal proteins, such as truncated Cry1 proteins, which do not crystallize, as well as for crystallizing other types of proteins for structural studies. To improve our understanding of endotoxin synthesis, my current research focuses on furthering our knowledge of the roles that several genetic elements play in this process, with an emphasis on the 5' STAB-SD and 3' stem-loop structures that stabilize mRNA, and the helper proteins active during and after translation. With respect to crystallization, my studies currently focus on identifying the regions responsible for crystallization in certain Cry proteins of B. thuringiensis and Bin protein of B. sphaericus.

Selected Publications:

Park, H. W., H. S. Kim, D. W. Lee, Y. M. Yu, B. R. Jin and S. K. Kang. 1995. Expression and synergistic effect of three types of crystal protein genes in Bacillus thuringiensis. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 214, 602-607.

Roh, J. Y., H. W. Park, B. R. Jin, H. S. Kim, Y. M. Yu and S. K. Kang. 1996. Characterization of novel non-toxic Bacillus thuringiensis isolates from Korea. Letters in Applied Microbiology 23, 249-252.

Roh, J. Y., H. W. Park, Y. H. Je, D. W. Lee, B. R. Jin, H. W. Oh, S. S. Gill and S. K. Kang. 1997. Expression of mosquitocidal crystal protein genes in noninsecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. Letters in Applied Microbiology 24, 451-454.

Chang, J. H., J. Y. Roh, Y. H. Je, H. W. Park, B. R. Jin, S. D. Woo and S. K. Kang. 1998. Isolation of a strain of Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. kurstaki HD-1 encoding δ-endotoxin Cry1E. Letters in Applied Microbiology 26, 387-390.

Park, H. W., J. Y. Roh, Y. H. Je, B. R. Jin, H. W. Oh, H. Y. Park and S. K. Kang. 1998. Isolation of non-insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis strain belonging to serotype H8a8b. Letters in Applied Microbiology 27, 62-66.

Park, H. W., B. Ge, L. S. Bauer and B. A. Federici. 1998. Optimization of Cry3A yields in Bacillus thuringiensis by use of sporulation-dependent promoters in combination with the STAB-SD mRNA sequence. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 64, 3932-3938.

Chang, J. H., Y. H. Je, J. Y. Roh, H. W. Park, B. R. Jin, D. W. Lee, S. H. Kim, Z. W. Yang and S. K. Kang. 1999. Isolation and characterization of a strain of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar kenyae encoding only δ-endotoxin Cry1E. Applied Entomology and Zoology 34, 379-382.

Park, H. W., D. K. Bideshi, J. J. Johnson and B. A. Federici. 1999. Differential enhancement of Cry2A versus Cry11A yields in Bacillus thuringiensis by use of the cry3A STAB mRNA sequence. FEMS Microbiology Letters 181, 319-327.

Park, H. W., D. K. Bideshi and B. A. Federici. 2000. Molecular genetic manipulation of truncated Cry1C protein synthesis in Bacillus thuringiensis to improve stability and yield. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 66, 4449-4455.

Park, H. W. and B. A. Federici. 2000. Domain I plays an important role in the crystallization of Cry3A in Bacillus thuringiensis. Molecular Biotechnology 16, 97-107.

Park, H. W., A. Delécluse and B. A. Federici. 2001. Construction and characterization of a recombinant Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis strain that produces Cry11B. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 78, 37-44.

Je, Y. H., B. R. Jin, H. W. Park, J. Y. Roh, J. H. Chang, S. J. Seo, J. A. Olszewski, D. R. O'Reilly and S. K. Kang. 2003. Baculovirus expression vectors that incorporate the foreign protein into viral occlusion bodies. BioTechniques 34, 81-87.

Park, H. W., D. K. Bideshi and B. A. Federici. 2003. Recombinant Strain of Bacillus thuringiensis producing Cyt1A, Cry11B and the Bacillus sphaericus binary toxin. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 69, 1331-1334.

Park, H. W. and B. A. Federici. 2004. Effect of specific mutations in helix α7 of Domain I on the stability and crystallization of Cry3A in Bacillus thuringiensis. Molecular Biotechnology 27, 89-100.

Wirth, M. C., H. W. Park, W. E. Walton and B. A. Federici. 2005. Cyt1A of Bacillus thuringiensis delays evolution of resistance to Cry11A in the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 71, 185-189.

Hughes, P. A., M. M. Stevens, H. W. Park, B. A. Federici, E. S. Dennis and R. Akhurst. 2005. Response of larval Chironomus tepperi (Diptera: Chironomidae) to individual Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis toxins and toxin mixtures. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology 88, 34-39.

In press

Park, H. W., D. K. Bideshi and B. A. Federici. 2005. Synthesis of additional endotoxins in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. morrisoni (PG-14) and Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan significantly improves their mosquitocidal efficacy. Journal of Medical Entomology.

Park, H. W., D. K. Bideshi, M. C. Wirth, J. J. Johnson, W. E. Walton and B. A. Federici. 2005. Recombinant larvicidal bacteria with markedly improved efficacy against Culex vectors of West Nile Virus. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Invited Chapters and Review Articles

Federici, B. A., H. W. Park, D. K. Bideshi and B. Ge. 2000. Chapter 7.2 Genetic engineering of bacterial insecticides for improved efficacy against medically important diptera. In "Entomopathogenic bacteria: From laboratory to field application." (J. F. Charles, A. Delécluse and C. Niesen-LeRoux eds.), pp. 461-484. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Amsterdam.

Park, H. W. and B. A. Federici. 2000. Genetic factors affecting insecticidal crystal protein synthesis in Bacillus thuringiensis. International Journal of Industrial Entomology 1, 1-7.

Federici, B. A., H. W. Park, D. K. Bideshi, M. C. Wirth and J. J. Johnson. 2003. Recombinant bacteria for mosquito control. Journal of Experimental Biology 206, 3877-3885.