UMass Boston

Gene Regulation in Plants and Animals 

PhD, Microbiology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania
BA, Biology, Herbert H. Lehman College of the City University of New York

• Ackerman S., P.A. Flynn, and E.A. Davis. 1987. Partial Purification of Plant Transcription Factors. I. The Initiation Reaction. Plant Molecular Biology 9: l47-l58
• Flynn, P.A., E.A. Davis, and S. Ackerman. 1987. Partial Purification of Plant Transcription Factors. II. An In Vitro Transcription System is inefficient. Plant Molecular Biology 9: l59-l69
• Sif, S., A. Cummings, K. Gavin, E.A. Davis, and S. Ackerman. 1993. Interaction of human transcription factors IIA and IID with the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S minimal promoter. Life Science Advances - Molecular Biology 12: 53-61.
• Washburn, K.B, E.A. Davis, S. Ackerman. 1997. Coactivators and TAFs of transcription activation in wheat. Plant Molecular Biology 35:1037-1043.
• Peters,N., S. Ackerman, E.A. Davis. 1999. A modular vector for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of wheat and over-expression of TATA binding protein. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter. 17:323-331.
• Ackerman, S., S. Brault, E.A. Davis, J. Ebersole. 1999. Envisaging complex ideas using computer graphics and interactive programs. Presented at the ITC meeting for the University of Massachusetts, 8 April 1999.
• Ackerman, S., S. Brault, E.A. Davis, J. Ebersole. 2000. Envisaging Complex Ideas Using Computer Graphics and Interactive Programs. Presented at the ITC meeting for the University of Massachusetts, 21 March 2000.
• Zhang, L., M.R. Chase, S. Nelson, E.A. Davis, S. Ackerman. 2001. Molecular cloning of wheat transcription proteins IIB, TAFII58, and TLF. Presented at the 2001 Annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Physiologists. Abstract 0718.
• McAvoy, Susan, S. Ackerman, E.A. Davis. 2001. Agrobacterium Mediated Transformation of Wheat with wheat TBP. Presented at the 2001 Annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Biology. Abstract 0731.
• Ackerman, S., S. McAvoy, E.A. Davis. 2002. DNA sequence motifs in Plant Promoters. Presented at the 2002 Annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Biology. Abstract 136.
• Ackerman, S. 2004. Bravo, Mr. President. The Nation 12 July 2004, pg. 2
• Peters,N., S. Ackerman, E.A. Davis. 1999. A modular vector for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of wheat and over-expression of TATA binding protein. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter. 17:323-331.
• Simon, M.S.,W. Hagar, S. Ackerman. 1994. The Esselen Award Address: Retroviruses in Man. The Nucleus 72: 4-8.
• Apsit, V., J.J. Freeberg, M.R. Chase, E.A. Davis, and S. Ackerman. 1993. Wheat TFIID TATA binding protein. Nucleic Acids Research 21: 1494.
• Sif, S., A. Cummings, K. Gavin, E.A. Davis, and S. Ackerman. 1993. Interaction of human transcription factors IIA and IID with the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S minimal promoter. Life Science Advances - Molecular Biology 12: 53-61
• Furth, J.J., T. Worth, and S. Ackerman. 1991. Collagen mRNA synthesis in HeLa cells. Experimental Cell Research 192: 118-121.
• Burke, C., X.-B. Yu, L. Marchitelli, E.A. Davis, and S. Ackerman. 1990. Transcription Factor IIA of Wheat and Human Function Similarly with Plant and Animal Viral Promoters. Nucleic Acids Research 18:3611-3620.
• Yu, X.-B., C. Burke, J. Zhang, L. Marchitelli, E.A. Davis, and S. Ackerman. 1990. Transcription Factor IIA of Wheat and Human Interact Similarly with the Adenovirus-2 Major Late Promoter. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 168:498-505.
• Zhang, J., K. Logan, X-B. Yu, E. Davis, M. Posner, and S. Ackerman. 1990. Early Events of Transcription Initiation by RNA Polymerase II. Life Sciences 46: 729-735.
• deMercoyrol, L., C. Job, S. Ackerman, and D. Job. 1989. A Wheat Germ Nuclear Fraction Required for Selective Initiation in vitro Confers Processivity to Wheat Germ RNA Polymerase II. Plant Science 64: 31-38.
• Logan, K., J. Zhang, E.A. Davis, and S. Ackerman. 1989. Drug Inhibitors of RNA Polymerase II Transcription. DNA 8(8): 595-604.
• Logan, K. and S. Ackerman. 1988. Effects of Antibiotics on RNA polymerase III Transcription. DNA 7: 483-491.
• Flynn, P.A., E.A. Davis, and S. Ackerman. 1987. Partial Purification of Plant Transcription Factors. II. An In Vitro Transcription System is inefficient. Plant Molecular Biology 9: l59-l69.
• Ackerman S., P.A. Flynn, and E.A. Davis. 1987. Partial Purification of Plant Transcription Factors. I. The Initiation Reaction. Plant Molecular Biology 9: l47-l58.
• Weinmann, R., S. Ackerman, D. Bunick, M. Concino, and R. Zandomeni. 1983. In vitro transcription of Adenovirus genes. Current topics in microbiology and immunology. Vol. l09 pp. l25-l46. Walter Doerfler, ed.

Steve Ackerman's research group investigates gene regulation in plants and animals, specifically the initiation event of RNA synthesis. These studies are designed to address the biochemistry of the transcription process and the regulatory mechanisms governing this process. The research group biochemically purifies wheat transcription proteins and uses model in vitro transcription systems from plants and animals to characterize plant general transcription proteins by substituting them for their congeneric human protein in a homologous human transcription system, forming a heterologous wheat/human system. The gene(s) for proteins of interest are molecularly cloned for further studies.

The group also investigates transcription mechanisms in vivo using transgenic wheat. Biochemical studies also include wheat chromatin remodeling and its effects on transcription, how activator proteins affect transcription initiation via their interaction with wheat TAFs, and transcript families for the general transcription factors of wheat. These investigations incorporate a wide variety of techniques including tissue culture, protein purification by all the standard chromatographies (LC, HPLC, affinity chromatography, etc.), recombinant DNA technologies (molecular cloning, PCR, blotting, etc.), in vitro assay systems, eucaryotic cell transfection and selection, gel retardation and DNA footprinting, etc.

• 2015-present Associate Professor, Honors College, University of Massachusetts Boston.
• 1989-2015 Associate Professor, Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Boston.
• 1983-1989 Assistant Professor, Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Boston.
• 1979-1983 NSF Postdoctoral Fellow, The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Roberto Weinmann, mentor.
• 1978-1979 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Pathology, University of Pennsylvania. John J. Furth, mentor.
• 1973-1978 NIH trainee for Predoctoral studies, Microbiology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania. John J. Furth, mentor.