Jeffrey Dean
@jeffdean-uga.bsky.social
Assistant Provost and Director
University of Georgia, Griffin Campus
Biochemist by training, Scientist by birth
Just passing through on my random walk
University of Georgia, Griffin Campus
Biochemist by training, Scientist by birth
Just passing through on my random walk
Knew this day was coming, but sad to see, nonetheless. Ash trees are extremely abundant in Mississippi forests and the destruction ahead will be terrible to watch.
www.wjtv.com/news/state/e...
www.wjtv.com/news/state/e...
November 17, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Knew this day was coming, but sad to see, nonetheless. Ash trees are extremely abundant in Mississippi forests and the destruction ahead will be terrible to watch.
www.wjtv.com/news/state/e...
www.wjtv.com/news/state/e...
#Lignin biosynthesis is critical for producing the sharp tips in plant thorns and prickles. Using a CRISPR-based mutant screen of 20 candidate genes, a set of transcription factors, including MYB62, that regulate lignin deposition in the tips of Citrus thorns. www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10....
![Sclerification of thorns and characterization of the sst1 mutants. (A) Left panel, morphology of a mature thorn of “Ziyang Xiangcheng” (Citrus junos); Right panel, lignin staining of a young thorn. (Scale bar, 0.5 mm.) (B) Simple schematic diagram of the lignin biosynthetic pathway. PAL, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase;C4H, cinnamate 4-hydroxylase; 4CL, 4-hydroxycinnamoyl- CoA ligase; HCT, hydroxycinnamoyl- CoA: shikimate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase; C3′H, p- coumaroylshikimate 3′-hydroxylase; COMT, caffeic acid O-methyltransferase; CCoAOMT, caffeoyl-CoA O-methyl transferase; F5H, coniferyl alcohol 5-hydroxylase; CAD,(hydroxy) cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase; CCR, (hydroxy) cinnamoyl-CoA reductase. (C) Heatmap showing gene expression patterns in thorn tip and base tissues. Each row represents a biological replicate. Gene expression values were log2- transformed [log2(TPM+1)] and standardized by row-wise Z-score normalization. Color scale ranges from blue (low expression) to orange (high expression) relative to each gene’s mean expression across all samples. The asterisk marks SST1](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:u7vfpx6hfjvwkz4ipmtsxqgb/bafkreic4jsicabr2aeu73kqrp3nba2sentkvtjyaz5pisbr4nhbya5l5jq@jpeg)
November 7, 2025 at 3:13 PM
#Lignin biosynthesis is critical for producing the sharp tips in plant thorns and prickles. Using a CRISPR-based mutant screen of 20 candidate genes, a set of transcription factors, including MYB62, that regulate lignin deposition in the tips of Citrus thorns. www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10....
A viral lie about spiders is really bugging cranberry farmers www.washingtonpost.com/home/2025/11...
November 5, 2025 at 6:31 PM
A viral lie about spiders is really bugging cranberry farmers www.washingtonpost.com/home/2025/11...
Congratulations to GA Farmer of the Year, Kent Hamilton, who was named the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Farmer of the Year. He was a star among a stellar cast of competitors from across the Southeast.
October 14, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Congratulations to GA Farmer of the Year, Kent Hamilton, who was named the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo Farmer of the Year. He was a star among a stellar cast of competitors from across the Southeast.
In Moultrie GA today for opening of the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo. Georgia is the Spotlight State this year, so it's all hands on deck to show off the best of Georgia agriculture.
October 14, 2025 at 4:45 PM
In Moultrie GA today for opening of the 2025 Sunbelt Ag Expo. Georgia is the Spotlight State this year, so it's all hands on deck to show off the best of Georgia agriculture.
Doing our part to encourage Monarch populations
September 21, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Doing our part to encourage Monarch populations
Nom, nom, not...
Giant robber fly nothing on a beetle in the garden this afternoon.
Giant robber fly nothing on a beetle in the garden this afternoon.
September 1, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Nom, nom, not...
Giant robber fly nothing on a beetle in the garden this afternoon.
Giant robber fly nothing on a beetle in the garden this afternoon.
Brought back spicebush seeds from a hike in the Smokies a couple of years ago and got a couple of plants started. As hoped, spicebush #butterflies and their caterpillars have now found a new home in my yard.
August 17, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Brought back spicebush seeds from a hike in the Smokies a couple of years ago and got a couple of plants started. As hoped, spicebush #butterflies and their caterpillars have now found a new home in my yard.
What's up in my garden this week -- blossoms and a tiny toad standing guard.
August 12, 2025 at 1:22 PM
What's up in my garden this week -- blossoms and a tiny toad standing guard.
Pink Grasshopper Spotted in Georgia During Rare Encounter
www.msn.com/en-us/lifest...
www.msn.com/en-us/lifest...
July 8, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Pink Grasshopper Spotted in Georgia During Rare Encounter
www.msn.com/en-us/lifest...
www.msn.com/en-us/lifest...
Summer employment opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students as 4-H environmental educators at Georgia camps from the coast to the mountains.
July 3, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Summer employment opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students as 4-H environmental educators at Georgia camps from the coast to the mountains.
Out of town guests visiting tonight, so picked another kilogram of #chanterelles for dinner tonight. Such a treat. #fungi 🍄🟫🍄
June 19, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Out of town guests visiting tonight, so picked another kilogram of #chanterelles for dinner tonight. Such a treat. #fungi 🍄🟫🍄
I live in a community of aging seniors, most of whom seem deathly terrified of snakes. I've been working to educate them as to why they should protect snakes, so was particularly disappointed to come across this dead rat snake on my morning walk. Maybe roadkill, maybe not. Sad morning nonetheless. 😢
June 18, 2025 at 12:44 PM
I live in a community of aging seniors, most of whom seem deathly terrified of snakes. I've been working to educate them as to why they should protect snakes, so was particularly disappointed to come across this dead rat snake on my morning walk. Maybe roadkill, maybe not. Sad morning nonetheless. 😢
If you look closely at the bottom of the previous picture, you might notice an oddball in the mix. I've previously collected black chanterelles in western NC, but today I found my first red chanterelles near a patch of goldens. 🍄🍄🟫 #mushrooms
June 14, 2025 at 6:46 PM
If you look closely at the bottom of the previous picture, you might notice an oddball in the mix. I've previously collected black chanterelles in western NC, but today I found my first red chanterelles near a patch of goldens. 🍄🍄🟫 #mushrooms
Warmer weather and continued rain makes for even larger #mushrooms. This may become one of the longest seasons I've seen for #chanterelles in #Georgia. 🍄🍄🟫
June 14, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Warmer weather and continued rain makes for even larger #mushrooms. This may become one of the longest seasons I've seen for #chanterelles in #Georgia. 🍄🍄🟫
In-insect transformation of methylene-bridged [6]cycloparaphenylene demonstrated in tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura. www.sciencemagazinedigital.org/sciencemagaz...
June 6, 2025 at 1:38 PM
In-insect transformation of methylene-bridged [6]cycloparaphenylene demonstrated in tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura. www.sciencemagazinedigital.org/sciencemagaz...
June 6, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Found another new patch today. Should go well with pork loin tonight. #chanterelles #fungi 🍄🍄🟫
June 1, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Found another new patch today. Should go well with pork loin tonight. #chanterelles #fungi 🍄🍄🟫
The dahlia the deer can't reach.
June 1, 2025 at 11:45 AM
The dahlia the deer can't reach.
As I mentioned, all the rain lately is making this one of the best seasons for golden #chanterelles in Georgia in quite some time. 😋🍄🟫🍄 #fungi
May 31, 2025 at 9:09 PM
As I mentioned, all the rain lately is making this one of the best seasons for golden #chanterelles in Georgia in quite some time. 😋🍄🟫🍄 #fungi
It must be one of those days. Charlie tried to say good morning to this one and almost got a bite on the nose for his trouble.
May 24, 2025 at 9:15 PM
It must be one of those days. Charlie tried to say good morning to this one and almost got a bite on the nose for his trouble.
Survival trick: Pathogen taps iron source in immune cells
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202...
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202...
May 23, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Survival trick: Pathogen taps iron source in immune cells
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202...
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202...