RESEARCH INTEREST

Phytonutrients and seed composition


RESEARCH

Folk's research interests focus upon the role of phytonutrients in human health and disease. He and colleagues at the University, theMissouri Botanical Garden and the University of Western Cape, South Africa study the scientific basis of traditional phytotherapies. Another major focus of the Folk and members of his laboratory is the use of biotechnology to improve plant protein nutritive quality. By altering the fidelity of protein synthesis and the use of heterologous tRNAs and activating enzymes, they increase the quantity of nutritionally limiting amino acids in crop plants used for nutrition (http://www.isb.vt.edu/news/2003/news03.Aug.html).


SELECTED PUBLICATIONS 

Lu L, Wu X, Yin X, Morrand J, Chen X, Folk WR, Zhang ZJ. (2009). Development of marker-free transgenic sorghum [Sorgum bicolor (L.) Moench] using standard binary vectors as a selectable marker. Plant Cell, Tissue, and Organ Culture 99(1):97-108.

Mahon C, Liang B, Tikhanovich I, Abend JR, Imperiale MJ, Nasheuer HP and Folk WR Restriction of Human Polyomavirus BK Virus DNA Replication in Murine Cells and Extracts. Journal of Virology, 2009, 83: 5708-5717.

Wu XR, Mutisya J, and Folk WR. Modification of Sorghum Seed Composition to Improve Health and Nutrition of Small Farmholders. Agronomy Monograph 51, 2008 ASA-CSSA-SSSA

Sun PH, Hyun JC, Soo KS, Eun OK, Seung IJ, Eun HL, Yoo W, Folk WR, Kim SO.  High Resolution Human Papillomavirus Genotyping by MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry. Nature Protocols, 2008 3: 1476-1484

Reid SE,  Mulenga LB, Folk WR, Tambatamba B, Chi, BH. Abandonment of antiretroviral therapy for local AIDS remedies: a potential barrier to ART scale-up in sub-Saharan 2008 South African Medical Journal, Africa.

Wu XR, Kenzior A, Wilmot D, Scanlon S, Chen Z, Topin A, He S, Acevedo A, Folk WR.  Altered expression of plant lysyl tRNA synthetase  promotes tRNA misacylation and translational recoding of lysine. The Plant Journal 2007;50, 627-636.

Johnson Q, Syce J, Nell H, Rudeen K, Folk WR.  A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase 1 Trial of Lessertia frutescens in adults.  PLoS Clinical Trials 2007;2 (4): e16 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pctr.0020016.