CURRICULUM VITAE

    Michael L. Summers
    Department of Biology
    Californal State University Northridge
    Northridge, CA 91330-8303
    (818) 677-7146  fax:(818) 677-2034
    email: michael.l.summers@csun.edu

Education:

    1976 B.S. Biology, Heidelberg College, Tiffin, OH
    1977 Comprehensive Science teaching credential, Heidelberg College, Tiffin, OH
    1995 Ph.D. Microbiology, University of California at Davis
(Dissertation: "The Role and Regulation of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase in Heterotrophic and Diazotrophic Growth of Nostoc sp. Strain ATCC 29133". Advisor: J.C. Meeks)

Positions Held:

1977-78  High School Science Teacher, Rolling Hills Local School Dist. Byesville, OH
1978-81 Jr. High School Science Teacher, Kingman City School Dist. Kingman, AZ
1981-84 High School Science Teacher, Orford School Dist. Orford, NH
1984-88 Jr. High School Science Teacher, Silver Valley Local School Dist. Daggett, CA
1989-94 Teaching Assistant: Introduction to Biological Science, Bacteriology Laboratory,  Microbial Ecology, U.C. Davis, Davis, CA
1990-94 Research Assistant: Physiology and genetics of symbiotic and diazotrophic cyanobacteria, U.C. Davis, Davis, CA
1995-98 Postdoctoral Research Associate:  Physiology and genetics of phosphorous  metabolism in free-living and symbiotic rhizobia, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
1998-2003 Assistant  Professor;  2003-2007 Associate Professor; 2007-Present Full Professor - California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA: teaching Principles of Microbiology, Bacterial Diversity, Molecular Genetics of Prokaryotes, Gentics of Bacteria and their Viruses, Graduate Seminars; researching physiology and genetics of cyanobacterial metabolism and cell development


Professional Affiliations:

    American Society for Microbiology

Publications:

Holmquist, C.P., G.P. Holmquist, and M.L. Summers. 2011.  Comparing binding site information to binding affinity reveals that Crp/DNA complexes have several distinct binding conformers.  Nucleic Acids Research - E-pub ahead of print; click here to down load paper

Kaplan-Levy, R.N.; O., Hadas; M.L., Summers; J., Rücker; A., Sukenik.  2010.  Akinetes - dormant cells of cyanobacteria.  Dormancy and resistance in harsh environments.  E. Lubzens, J. Cerdà and M. Clark (Eds.),  Seriew: Topics in Current Genetics, Vol. 21. Springer Press.

Hedger, J , P.C. Holmquist, K.A. Leigh, K. Saraff, C. Pomykal, and M.L. Summers. 2009. Illumination stimulates cAMP receptor protein dependent transcriptional activation from regulatory regions containing type I,  and II promoter elements in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Microbiology 155: 2994-3004 (view manuscript as PDF file)

Campbell, E.L., M.L. Summers, H. Christman, M.E. Martin, and J.C. Meeks. 2007. Global gene expression patterns of Nostoc punctiforme in steady state dinitrogen-grown heterocyst-containing cultures and at single time points during the differentiation of akinetes and hormogonia. Journal of Bacteriology 189:5247-5256.

Argueta, C., K. Yuksek, R. Patel, and M.L Summers. 2006. Identification of Nostoc punctiforme akinete-expressed genes using differential display.  Molecular Microbiology 61:748-757.

Welty, L.A.Y., E.L. Heinrich, K. Garcia, L.R. Banner, M.L. Summers, L. Baresi, S. Metzenberg, C. Coyl-Thompson, and S.B. Oppenheimer. 2005. Analysis of Unconventional approaches for the rapid detection of surface lectin binding ligands on human cell lines.  ACTA Histochemica 107:411-420.

Argueta, C and M.L. Summers. 2005. Characterization of a model system for the study of Nostoc punctiforme akinetes.  Archives of Microbiology 183:338-346.

Argueta, C., K. Yuksek, and M.L. Summers. 2004. Construction and use of GFP reporter vectors for analysis of cell-type-specific gene expression in Nostoc punctiforme. Journal of Microbiological Methods 59:181-188.

Meeks, J.C., E.L. Campbell, M.L. Summers, F.C. Wong. 2002. Cellular differentiation in the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme. Archives of Microbiology 178:395-403.

Summers, M.L., L. M. Botero, S.C. Busse, and Timothy R. McDermott. 2000. The Sinorhizobium meliloti Lon protease is involved in regulating  exopolysaccharide synthesis and is required for nodulation of alfalfa. Journal of Bacteriology 182:2551-2558.

Summers, M.L., M.C. Denton, T.R. McDermott. 1999. Genes coding for phosphotransacetylase and acetate kinase in Sinorhizobium meliloti are in an operon that is inducible by phosphate stress and controlled by PhoB. Journal of Bacteriology 181:2217-24.

Summers, M.L., J.G. Elkins, B. Elliot, T.R. McDermott.  1998.  Expression and regulation of phosphate starvation inducible genes in Rhizobium meliloti. Molecular Plant Microbe Interactions 11:1094-1101.

Deng, S.,  M.L. Summers, M.L. Kahn, and T.R. McDermott. 1998. Cloning and characterization of a Rhizobium meliloti nonspecific acid phosphatase. Archives of Microbiology 170:18-26.

Stout, R.G., M.L. Summers, T. Kerstetter, and T.R. McDermott.  1997. Heat- and acid-tolerance of a grass commonly found in geothermal areas within Yellowstone National Park. Plant Science 130:1-9.

Al-Niemi, T.S., M.L. Summers, J.G. Elkins, M.L. Kahn, T.R. McDermott. 1997. Regulation of the phosphate stress response in Rhizobium meliloti  by PhoB. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 63:4979-4981.

Summers, M.L., and J.C. Meeks.  1996. Transcriptional regulation of zwf, encoding glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, from the cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme strain ATCC 29133. Molecular Microbiology 22:473-480.

Campbell, E.L, K.D. Hagen, M.F. Cohen, M.L. Summers, and J.C. Meeks. 1996. The devR gene product is characteristic of receivers of two-component regulatory systems and is essential for heterocyst development in the filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. strain ATCC 29133. Journal of Bacteriology 178:2037-2043.

Summers, M.L., J.G. Wallis, E.L. Campbell, and J.C. Meeks. 1995 Genetic evidence of a major role for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in nitrogen fixation and dark growth of the cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. strain ATCC 29133. Journal of Bacteriology 177:6184-6194.

Summers, M.L., J.C. Meeks,  S. Chu, and R.E. Wolf, Jr. 1995. Nucleotide sequence of an operon in Nostoc sp. strain ATCC 29133 encoding four genes of the oxidative pentose phosphate cycle. Plant Physiology 107: 267-268.