Phillip E. Ryals Associate Professor BS-Troy University-Biology and Physical Sciences MS-The University of Alabama-Biological Science Ph.D.-The University of Alabama-Cell Biology Postdoctoral Appointments: The University of Texas at Austin – Lipid Biochemistry The University of Kentucky, Chandler Medical Center – Viral Molecular Biology

Email: pryals@uwf.edu
Phone: 850-474-2751
Fax: 850-474-2749

Personal webpage: www.uwf.edu/pryals/

Full CV

Courses Taught

General Biochemistry I, Biochemistry Metabolism, Molecular Biology

University Committees

Faculty Senate, Academic Council, SeaStars Advisory Committee

Research Interests

Membrane lipid and membrane protein biochemistry, functional roles of inositol isomers and isomeric phosphoinositides, molecular basis of cytodifferentiation in Tetrahymena.

Current Research

Characterization of Tetrahymena phosphoinositide-binding proteins.

Alteration of phosphoinositides in Tetrahymena patula undergoing “de-differentiation” induced by valproic acid.

These projects are currently supported with funds from a Merck/AAAS Undergraduate Research Grant.

Selected Publications

Smith-Somerville, H. E., Hardman, J. K., Timkovich, R., Ray, W. J., Rose, K. E., Ryals, P. E., Gibbons, S. H. and Buhse, H. E., Jr.  (2000)  A complex of iron and nucleic acid catabolites is a signal that triggers differentiation in a freshwater protozoan.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.  97, 7325 - 7330.

Ryals, P.E., Smith-Somerville, H.E. and Buhse, H.E., Jr. (2002) Phenotype switching in polymorphic Tetrahymena.  A single cell Jekyll and Hyde.  Int. Rev. Cytol.  212, 209 -238.

Champlin, F. R., Shryock, T. R., Patterson, C. E., Austin, F. W. and Ryals, P. E.  (2002)  Prevalence of a novel capsule-associated lipoprotein among Pasteurellaceae  pathogenic in animals.  Curr. Microbiol.  44, 297 –  301.

Kersting, M. C., Boyette, M., Massey, J., and Ryals, P. E.  (2003)  Identification of the inositol isomers present in Tetrahymena. J. Eukaryotic Microbiol. 50, 164 – 168.

Kersting, M. C. and Ryals, P. E.  (2004).  Sodium-dependent transport of [3H](1D)chiro-inositol by Tetrahymena.  J. Eukaryotic Microbiol. 51,   307 - 311.

Smith-Somerville, H. E., Ziemkiewicz, H. T. and Ryals, P. E.  (2005)  Protozoan Nutrition and Metabolism.  In:  Nature Encyclopedia of Life Sciences.  John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.: Chichester.  http://www.els.net/  [doi:10.1038/npg.els.0001928]

Nsofor, M., Ryals, P. E., and Champlin, F. R.  (2006)  Subcellular distribution of Plp-40, a lipoprotein in a serotype A strain of Pasteurella multocida.  Biochim. Biophys. Acta  1760, 1160 – 1166.

Riggs, B. M., Lansley, T. A. and Ryals, P. E. (2007)  Phosphatidylinositol synthase of Tetrahymena:  Inositol isomers as substrates in phosphatidylinositol biosynthesis and headgroup exchange reactions.  J. Eukaryotic Microbiol.  54:119 – 124.

Ryals, P. E., Damaso, R. M, Jones, J. B. and Steinmetz, C. A.  (2008) The signaling ligand stomatin triggers a rapid increase in intracellular calcium concentration in Tetrahymena vorax.  Florida Scient. 71:287 - 292.

Kersting, M. C. and Ryals, P. E. (2009) Uptake of inositol isomers by Tetrahymena.  Florida Scient.  72:1 – 10.

Current Graduate Students

Thomas Yarbrough Identification of phosphoinositide-binding proteins in Tetrahymena using a liposome affinity matrix.