Dr. Craig Stephens
Associate Professor & Chair Educational BackgroundB.S. 1985 from Roanoke College TeachingBio 52 The Biotechnology Revolution ResearchMy primary interest is in the molecular biology of prokaryotes. My research uses the aquatic bacterium Caulobacter crescentus, which displays unusual dimorphic life cycle. Caulobacter produces two distinct cell types at every cell division: a motile swarmer cell and a sessile stalked cell. The swarmer cell has a polar flagellum that enables it to search for new sources of nutrients. The swarmer can't replicate its chromosome until is differentiates into a stalked cell. The stalked cell acts as a stem cell, generating a new swarmer cell each time it goes through the cell cycle.
Student research in my lab has been supported by the NSF grant, by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institution to Santa Clara University, and by grants from Santa Clara University. Previous contributors to the project - Desiree Yang , Matthew Martin, Naomi Arana, Nicole Robledo (SCU 2003) Lisandra West (lab technician, SCU '99), Jimothy Fahrni (technician), Katie Palm (SCU '01), Joe Chan (SCU '01), Ana Rodriguez (SCU '99), Joe Goethals (SCU '99), Jill Hamilton (SCU '98), Matt Giudice (SCU '98) PublicationsResearch Papers C. Stephens, B. Christen, K. Watanabe, T. Fuchs, and U. Jenal. (2007) Regulation of D-xylose metabolism in Caulobacter crescentus by a LacI-type repressor. Journal of Bacteriology 189: 8828-8834. C. Stephens, B. Christen, T. Fuchs, V. Sundaram, K. Watanabe, and U. Jenal. (2007) Genetic analysis of a novel pathway for D-xylose metabolism in Caulobacter crescentus. J. Bacteriology 189:2181-2185. A. Hottes, M. Meewan, D. Yang, N. Arana, P. Romero, H. McAdams, and C. Stephens (2003). Transcriptional profiling of Caulobacter crescentus during growth on complex and minimal media. J. Bacteriology 186: 1448-1461.
Nierman et al.(including C. Stephens)(2001). Complete genome sequence of Caulobacter crescentus.Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 98: 4136-4141. A. Berdis, I. Lee, J. Coward, C. Stephens, R. Wright, L. Shapiro, and S. Benkovic (1998). A cell-cycle regulated adenine DNA methyltransferase from Caulobacter crescentus processively methylates GANTC sites on hemimethylated DNA. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 95: 2874-2879. C. Stephens, C. Mohr, C. Boyd, J. Maddock, J. Gober, L. Shapiro (1997). Identification of the fliI and fliJ components of the Caulobacter Type III protein secretion system. Journal of Bacteriology. 17: 5355-5365. R. Wright, C. Stephens, and L. Shapiro (1997). The CcrM DNA methyltransferase is widespread in alpha subdivision bacterial and its essential functions are conserved in Rhizobium meliloti and Caulobacter crescentus. Journal of Bacteriology 179: 5869-5877. R. Wright, C. Stephens, G. Zweiger, L. Shapiro, and M. Alley (1996). Caulobacter Lon protease has a critical role in cell-cycle control of DNA methylation. Genes and Development. 10: 1532-1542. C. Stephens, A. Reisenauer, R. Wright, and L. Shapiro (1996). A cell-cycle regulated bacterial DNA methyltransferase is essential for viability. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 93: 1210-1214. C. Stephens, G. Zweiger, and L. Shapiro (1995). Coordinate cell cycle control of a Caulobacter DNA methyltransferase and the flagellar genetic hierarchy. Journal of Bacteriology 177: 1662-1669. C. Stephens and L. Shapiro (1993). An unusual promoter controls cell-cycle regulation and dependence on DNA replication of the Caulobacter early flagellar operon fliLM. Molecular Microbiology 9: 1169-1179. R. Kadner, G. Murphy, and C. Stephens (1992). Two mechanisms for growth inhibition by elevated transport of sugar phosphates in Escherichia coli. Journal of General Microbiology 138: 2007-2012. C. Stephens and R. Bauerle (1992). Essential cysteines in 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase from Escherichia coli : Analysis by chemical modification and site-directed mutagenesis of the phenylalanine-sensitive isozyme. Journal of Biological Chemistry 267: 5762-5770. C. Stephens and R. Bauerle (1991). Analysis of the metal requirement of 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase from Escherichia coli. Journal of Biological Chemistry 266: 20810-20819. Invited Articles
J. Chen andC. Stephens (2007). Completing the circuit. Current Biology 17:R203-206. C. Stephens (2006). Managing magnetosomes. Current Biology 16:R363-5. C. Stephens (2005). Even bacteria get old. Current Biology (in press). C. Stephens (2004). A new player on the cell cycle circuit. Current Biology 14: R505-507. C. Stephens (2003). Tropical treasure? Current Biology 14: R65-66. C. Stephens and M. Laub (2003). All that you can't leave behind. Current Biology 13: R571-573. U. Jenal and C. Stephens (2002). The Caulobacter cell cycle - Timing, spatial regulation, and checkpoints. Current Opinion in Microbiology. C. Stephens (2002). Pushing plasmids apart. Current Biology. C. Stephens (2002). Breaking down biofilms. Current Biology 12: 132-134. C. Stephens (2001). Seeing the big picture with microarrays. Current Biology 11: 222-225. C. Stephens and W. Murray (2001). Pathogen evolution: How good bacteria go bad. Current Biology 11: 53-56. C. Stephens (2000). Intimate strangers. Current Biology 10: 272-275 C. Stephens (1999). The migrating kinase and the master regulator. Current Biology 9: 493-496. C. Stephens (1998). Getting folded proteins across membranes. Current Biology 8: 578-581. C. Stephens (1997). Bacterial sporulation : A question of commitment? Current Biology 8: 45-48. C. Stephens and L. Shapiro (1997). Bacterial protein secretion : A target for new antibiotics? Chemistry and Biology 4: 637-641. C. Stephens and L. Shapiro (1996). Delivering the payload. Current Biology 6: 927-930. U. Jenal and C. Stephens (1996). Sizing up sporulation. Current Biology 6: 111-114. U. Jenal, C. Stephens, and L. Shapiro (1995). Regulation of asymmetry and polarity during the Caulobacter cell cycle. Advances in Enzymology 71: 1-40. C. Stephens, U. Jenal, and L. Shapiro (1995). Expression of polarity during Caulobacter differentiation. Seminars in Developmental Biology 6: 3-13. C. Stephens, M. Singer, and L. Shapiro (1994). An ATP/ADP switch. Current Biology 4: 630-634. |
