Address:

Dana Science Center Room 382
Biology Department
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Telephone: (518) 580-5075

Fax: (518) 580-5071

E-mail: ddomoz@skidmore.edu

Other Positions Held:

1989-1990, Visiting Scientist, John Innes Institute, Norwich England,
1997-1998, Visiting Professor, Section of Plant Biology, Cornell University.

Courses Taught at Skidmore:

Plant Biology (BI 237)
Plant Physiology (BI 337)
Plant Biotechnology (BI 338)
Marine Biology (BI 140)
Biological Electron Microscopy (BI 311)
Advanced Light Microscopy (BI 351)

Research Interests:

David Domozych is a plant cell biologist who studies the evolution of cell walls and their biosynthesis in plants. He is interested in the biochemistry and cell biology of cell wall components (esp. pectins) in the Charophycean Green Algae, the modern group of green algae whose ancestors are the basal stock from which land plants evolved. Dr. Domozych's primary research tools include light, confocal laser scanning and electron microscopy, various biochemical techniques and immunocytochemistry . His main subject of study is a new model organism, Penium margaritaceum, a unicellular desmid with cell polymers similar to those of higher plants. Currently, his research work is involved with answering questions like:

•  What is the distribution of cell wall polymers in Charophycean Green Algae and how did particular polymers like pectins evolve?
•  How do different wall polymers function in cell development? What are the interactions of wall polymers during cell expansion and division?
•  How are various wall polymers processed in the plant Golgi Apparatus, packaged in specific vesicle types and released to cytoplasmic streaming mechanism?
•  How do particular vesicles get to specific sites on the surface for selected release?
•  What are the signal transduction moleculaes that control cell wall secretory mechanisms?

Dr. Domozych's work has recently been sponsored by grants from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Molecular and Cell Biology Program, NSF Intergrated Organismal Systems and NSF Major Instrumentation Programs. Many students participate in his research program both during the academic year and summer. In the summer of 2010, four students, Carly Sacks, Korena Burgio, Pia Ruisi-Besares and Hannah Brechka worked in his laboratory and accompanied him for a week-long research experience at the University of Copenhagen.

 

Recent Publications:

Domozych, D.S., Brechka, H., Britton, A. and Toso, M. (2011) Cell wall growth and modulation dynamics in a model unicellular green alga, Penium margaritaceum : live cell labeling with monoclonal antibodies. Journal of Botany , in press.

Domozych , D.S., Sørensen, I., Pettolino, F.A., Bacic, A. and Willats, W.G.T. (2010) The Cell Wall Polymers of the Charophycean Green Alga Chara corallina : Immunobinding and Biochemical Screening. International Journal of Plant Sciences 171: 345–361. 2010.

Sørensen, I., Domozych, D. and Willats, W.G.T. (2010) How have plant cell walls evolved? Plant Physiology 153: 366-372.

Domozych, D.S., Snyder, A. and Toso, M. (2010) Biofilm dynamics of the nuisance diatom, Didymosphaenia geminata (Bacillariophyceae). Nova Hedwigia 136: 249-260.

Bellinger, B.J., Gretz, M.R., Domozych, D.S., Kiemle , S.N. and Hagerthey, S.E. (2010) Composition of extracellular polymeric substances from periphyton assemblages in the Florida Everglades. Journal of Phycology 46:484-496.

Domozych , D.S., Sørensen, I. and Willats, W.G.T. (2009) The distribution of cell wall polymers during antheridium development and spermatogenesis in the Charophycean green alga, Chara corallina . Annals of Botany 104: 1045-1056.

Domozych, D. S., Lambiasse, L., Kiemle, S.N. and Gretz, M. R. (2009) Cell-wall development and bipolar growth in the desmid Penium margaritaceum (Zygnematophyceae, Streptophyta). Asymmetry in a symmetric world. Journal of Phycology 45: 879-893.

Domozych, D.S., Wilson, R. and Domozych, C. R. (2009) Photosynthetic Eukaryotes of Freshwater Wetland Biofilms: Adaptations and Structural Characteristics of the Extracellular Matrix in the Green Alga, Cosmarium reniforme (Zygnematophyceae, Streptophyta). Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 56: 314-322.

Domozych, D.S. and Domozych, C.R. (2008) Desmids and Biofilms of Freshwater Wetlands: Development and Microarchitecture. Microbial Ecology 55: 81-93.

Domozych, D. S., Serfis, A., Kiemle, S. N. and Gretz, M. R. (2007) The structure and biochemistry of the homogalacturonans of the cell wall of the desmid, Penium margaritaceum . Protoplasma 230: 99-115.

Domozych, D.S., Elliott, L., Kiemle, S.N. and Gretz, M.R. (2007) Pleurotaenium trabecula , a desmid of wetland biofilms: the extracellular matrix and adhesion mechanisms. Journal of Phycology 43; 1022-1038.

Research Collaborators from around the world:

Dr. William Willats, University of Copenhagen
Dr. Peter Ulvskov and Jesper Harholt, University of Copenhagen
Drs. Jocelyn Rose and Iben Sorensen, Cornell University
Dr. Jose Estevez, University of Buenos Aires
Dr. Zoe Popper, National University of Ireland

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