Faculty Profile

Matthew J. Wood
Assistant Professor
Environmental Toxicology
Meyer Hall 4247
Office 530-754-2271
Lab 530-752-4380
mjwood AT ucdavis DOT edu
http://www.envtox.ucdavis.edu/WoodLab/woodlabhome.html
[Picture of Matthew J. Wood]
Biochemical & structural mechanisms of environmental gene regulation

Degrees:
2000 - PhD - University of California, San Diego - Biochemistry
1997 - MS - University of California, San Diego - Biochemistry
1996 - BS - University of California, Santa Cruz - Chemistry

Awards:
NIH Predoctoral Trainee, UC San Diego (1997-2000)
National Research Council Fellowship, NIH (2000-2005)
American Heart Association, Scientist Development Grant (2006-2010)

Department and Center Affiliations:
Environmental Toxicology

Grad Group Affiliations and Specialties:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Cell and Developmental Biology
Non-DBS Grad Group(s) - Pharmacology and Toxicology

Publications:
Ma, L., Takanishi, C.L. & Wood, M.J. (2007) Molecular mechanism of oxidative stress perception by the Orp1 protein. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 282, 31429-36.

Takanishi, C.L., Ma, L. & Wood M.J (2007) A genetically encoded probe for cysteine sulfenic acid protein modification in vivo. Biochemistry, 46, 14725-14732.

Mason, J.T., Kim, S.K., Knaff, D.B. & Wood, M.J. (2006) Thermodynamic basis for redox regulation of the Yap1 signal transduction pathway. Biochemistry, 45, 13409-13417.

Wang, X., Mukhopadhyay, P., Wood, M.J., Outten, F.W., Opdyke, J.A., & Storz, G. (2006) Mutational Analysis to Define an Activating Region on the Redox-Sensitive Transcriptional Regulator OxyR. Journal of Bacteriology, 188, 8335-8342.

Wood, M.J. & Storz, G. (2005) Oxygen, Metabolism and Gene Expression: the T-Rex Connection. Structure, 13, 2-3.

Wood, M.J., Prieto, J.H. & Komives E.A. (2005) Structural and functional consequences of methionine oxidation in thrombomodulin. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, 1703, 141-147.

Wood, M.J., Storz, G. & Tjandra, N. (2004) Structural basis for redox regulation of Yap1 transcription factor localization. Nature, 430, 917-921.

Wood, M.J., Andrade, E.C. & Storz, G. (2003) The redox domain of the Yap1p transcription factor contains two disulfide bonds. Biochemistry, 42, 11982-11991.

Carmel-Harel, O., Wood, M.J. & Storz, G. (2003) Regulatory disulfides controlling transcription factor activity in the bacterial and yeast responses to oxidative stress. In Cellular Implications of Redox Signaling. Gitler, C. and Danon, A. (eds). London: Imperial College Press. pp. 287-310.

Outten, F.W., Wood, M.J., Munoz, F.M. & Storz, G. (2003) The SufE protein and the SufBCD complex enhance SufS cysteine desulfurase activity as part of a sulfur transfer pathway for Fe-S cluster assembly in Escherichia coli. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 278, 45713-9.

Research Interests:
My research group is interested in defining the regulatory mechanisms involved in the perception of and protection against oxidative stress and other toxic compounds such as heavy metals and arsenic using the model organism, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Oxidative stress is caused by increased levels of reactive oxygen species such as superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals and has been implicated in several degenerative diseases and the aging process. Reactive oxygen species can result from incomplete reduction of molecular oxygen and exposure to radiation or toxic chemicals found in the environment. To defend against oxidative stress, organisms have evolved specific signal transduction pathways that result in the increased transcription of genes involved in detoxification and protection against reactive oxygen species. By defining the molecular mechanisms by which oxidative stress and environmental toxicants alter cellular signaling pathways and gene expression, my research group hopes to develop new technologies for monitoring and remediation of environmental toxicants. In line with the broad scope of my laboratory, we use a variety of approaches to characterize the structure and function of proteins as well as cell and molecular biology, yeast genetics and genome-wide approaches.

Laboratory Personnel:
Meyer Hall 4330 - Li-Hua Ma, Postdoctoral Associate; Christina Takanishi, CDB Graduate Student
http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=320+Bioletti+Way,+Davis,+CA+95616

Courses Taught:
ETX 214 Mechanisms of Toxicity - Term(s): Spring
ETX 220 Analysis of Toxicants - Term(s): Fall
ETX 220L Analysis of Toxicants - Laboratory - Term(s): Fall