Carol J. Gross

The current focus is development of the University of Minnesota Biofuels Database. The purpose of the database is to facilitate communiation about developments in the area of fuels from renewable resources, with a focus on microbial production of biofuels.

Another research focus is novel bacterial metabolism, specifically, azetidine-2-carboxylate. This compound is produced by the lilly family, and is toxic to insects and mammals. It is similar to proline, with one less ring carbon, and is subsitited for proline in protein synthesis. It is though that resulting proteins misfold. Some bacteria have evolved to protect themselves from this compound via modification, while others have evolved to use this compound as an energy source. We have isolated a Pseudomonas sp. from soil from a lilly bed that can use azetidine-2-carboxylate as the sole nitrogen and carbon source. We are currently using molecular biology, enzymology, genomics and proteomics techniques to examine the genes and proteins involved in the degradation and utilization of this compound.

• Allen, G.S., Gross, C.J., Henderson, L.M. and Chou, S.N. (1976) Cerebral Arterial Spasm, Part 4: In Vitro Effects of Temperature, Serotonin Analogues, Large Non-physiological Concentrations of Serotonin and Extracellular Calcium and Magnesium on Serotonin-Induced Contractions of the Canine Basilar Artery. J. Neurosurg. 44: 585-593. (pubmed)
• Allen, G.S., Gross, C.J., French, L.A. and Chou, S.N. (1976) Cerebran Arterial Spasm, Part 5: In Vitro Contractile Activity of Vasoactive Agents Including Human CSF on Human Basilar and Anterior Cerebral Arteries. J Neurosurg. 44:594-600. (pubmed)
• Allen, G.S. and Gross, C.J. (1976) Cerebral Arterial Spasm, Part 7: In Vitro Effects of Alpha Adrenergic Agents on Canine Arteries From Six Anatomical Sites and Six Blocking Agents on Serotonin-Induced Contractions of the Canine Basilar Artery. Surg. Neurol. 6: 63-70. (pubmed)
• Allen, G.S., Harris, R.D., Gross C.J. and Chou, S.N. (1977) Cerebral Aterial Spasm: In Vitro Contractile Activity of Vasoactive Agents on Human Cortical and Temporal Arteries. in Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Microneurosurgical Anastomoses for Cerebral Ischemia, P. Schmiedek, editor, Springer-Verlag, NY, pp. 98-104.
• Henderson, L.M. and Gross, C.J. (1979) Transport of Niacin and Niacinamide in Perfused Rat Intestine. J Nutr. 109: 646-653. (pubmed)
• Henderson, L.M. and Gross, C.J. (1979) Metabolism of Niacin and Niacinamide in Perfused Rat Intestine. J. Nutr. 109: 654-662. (pubmed)
• Gross, C.J. and Henderson, L.M. (1983) Digestion and Absorption of NAD by the Small Intestine of the Rat. J. Nutr. 113: 412-420. (pubmed)
• Shibata, K., Gross, C.J. and Henderson, L.M. (1983) Hydrolysis and Absorption of Pantothenate and its Coenzymes in the Rat small Intestine. J Nutr. 113: 2207-2215. (pubmed)
• Gross, C.J., Harris, R.D., Seljelkog, E.L. and Henderson, L.M. (1983) Pyridine Nucleotide Synthesis in Normal and Neoplastic Human Pituitary Cells in Culture. Cancer 52: 2100-2106. (pubmed)
• Salati, L.M., Gross, C.J., Henderson, L.M. and Savaiano, D.A. (1984) Absorption and Metabolism of Adenine, AMP, Adenosine and Hypoxanthine by the Isolated Vascular Perfused Rat Small Intestine. J. Nutr. 114: 753-760. (pubmed)
• Gross, C.J. and Henderson, L.M. (1984) Absorption of D- and L-Carnitine by the Intestine and Kidney Tubule in the Rat. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 772: 209-219. (pubmed)
• Karnitz, L.M., Gross, C.J. and Henderson, L.M. (1984) Transport and Metabolism of Panthothenic Acid by Rat Kindey. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 769: 486-492. (pubmed)
• Gross, C.J., Henderson, L.M. and Savaiano, D.A. (1986) Uptake of L-Carnitine, D-Carnitine and Acetyl-L-Carnitine by Isolated Guinea Pig Enterocytes. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 886: 425-433. (pubmed)
• Donnatucci, A., Liener, I.E. and Gross, C.J. (1987) The Binding of Navy Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris) Lectin to the Intestinal Cells of the Rat and Its Effect on the Absorpton of Glucose. J. Nutr. 117: 2154-2160. (pubmed)
• Gross, C.J., Stiles, J.E. and Savaiano, D.A. (1988) Effect of Nutritional State and Allopurinol on Purine Metabolism in the Rat Small Intesitine. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 966: 168-175. (pubmed)
• Gross, C.J. and Savaiano, D.A. (1991) The Effect of Nutritional State and Allopurinol of Nucleotide Formation in Enterocytes from the Guinea Pig Small Intestine. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1073: 260-267. (pubmed)
• Gross, C.J. and Savaiano, D.A. (1993) Effect of Development and Nutritional State on the Uptake, Metabolism and Release of Free and Acetyl-L-Carnitine by Rodent Small Intestine. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1170: 265-274. (pubmed)
• Lin, M.Y., DePalma, J.A., Martini, M.C., Gross, C.J., Harlander, S.K. and Savaiano, D.A. (1993) Comparative Effects of Exogenous Lactase (Beta-Galactosidase) prepareation on In Vivo Lactose Digestion. Digest. Dis. Sci. 38: 2022-2027. (pubmed)
• Tsong, T.Y. and Gross, C.J. (1993) Electric Activation of Membrane Enzymes: Cellular Transduction of High and Low Level Periodic Signals in "Biologic Effects of Electric and Magnetic Fields", Carpenter, D.O. and Ayrapetyn, S., Eds., Academic Press, pp. 143-164.
• Tsong, T.Y. and Gross, C.J. (1994) The Language of Cells: Molecular Processing of Electric Signals by Cell Membranes. In"Bioelectromagnetism and Biocommunication" Ho, M.W., Popp, F.A., Warnke, U., Eds. World Scientific Publ., pp. 131-158.
• Tsong, TY and Gross, C.J. (1994) Reversibility of Thermally Induced Denaturation of Cellular Proteins. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 720, 65-78. (pubmed)
• Su, Z.D., Arooz, T.M., Chen, H.M., Gross, C.J. and Tsong, T.Y. (1996) Least Activation Paths for Protein Folding: Investigation of Staphylococcal Nuclease folding by Stopped-Flow CD. PNAS 93: 2539-2544. (pubmed)
• Gross, C., Felsheim, R. and Wackett, L.P. (2008) Genes and Enzymes of Azetidien-2-Carboxylate Metabolism: Detoxification and Assimilation of an Antibiotic. J Bacteriol. 490: 4859-4864. (pubmed)