Willis Avery “Woody” Wood (August 6, 1921 – January 17, 2021)[1] was an American microbiology professor, an inventor, and an entrepreneur. He was the president of the American Society for Microbiology in 1980. Wood was known for his research on bacterial enzymes and the molecular biology of sugars and amino acids.[2]
Biographyedit
Wood graduated from high school in Binghamton, New York,[1] and graduated in 1947 with a B.S. in bacteriology from Cornell University. From 1943 to 1946 he served in the U.S. Army[2] as a first lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps.[3] At Cornell University, Irwin Gunsalus was his faculty advisor. In 1947, Gunsalus moved to Indiana University Bloomington (IU) and Wood followed him to become a graduate student there. In 1950, Wood graduated from IU with a Ph.D. in microbiology. His Ph.D. thesis on the enzymology of Enterococcus faecalis was supervised by Gunsalus. Wood was from 1950 to 1958 a faculty member in the dairy science department of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and from 1958 to 1982 a professor of biochemistry at Michigan State University (MSU)[1] There he played an important role in the formation of the biochemistry department and chaired the department from 1964 to 1974. At MSU, many collaborators after years of research found that adenosine monophosphate (AMP) acts as an allosteric ligand promoting dimerization of the identical subunits of the coenzyme pyridoxal phosphate. Such dimerization greatly decreases the Michaelis constant KM in the Michaelis–Menten kinetics of the dehydratase for L-threonine. This finding was a first in the enzymology of ligand-induced oligomerization.[2]
At Michigan State, Wood developed a recording spectrophotometer with a new photomultiplier arrangement and an automatic cuvette changer that was programmable. This automated system, manufactured by Gilford Instrument Laboratories, Inc., became widely used in research on enzymes. In 1981, Neogen Corporation was founded, with some investment from MSU, to promote biotechnology in Lansing and the rest of Michigan. Wood became Neogen's first president in 1982.[2] From 1982 to 1990, he was the director of microbiology at the Salk Institute Biotechnology Industrial Associates (SIBIA) in La Jolla.[1]Phillips Petroleum Company supported his research on oil recovery enhanced by bacteria.[2] From 1990 to 2019, he was the principal scientist and vice-president of The Agouron Institute, with locations in both San Diego and Pasadena.[1]
In 1947, he married Alice Jane Spencer of Nimmonsburg, New York. She died in 1975. In 1976, he married Hazel Katherine (Reiten) LeGrand of Iron Mountain, Michigan. His second wife died in 2012. Upon his death he was survived by three children from his first marriage, four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.[1]
Selected publicationsedit
Mortlock, R. P.; Wood, W. A. (1964). "Metabolism of Pentoses and Pentitols by Aerobacter aerogenes I". Journal of Bacteriology. 88 (4): 838–844. doi:10.1128/jb.88.4.838-844.1964. PMC314822. PMID 14219044.
Mortlock, R. P.; Fossitt, D. D.; Wood, W. A. (1965). "A basis for utlization of unnatural pentoses and pentitols by Aerobacter aerogenes". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 54 (2): 572–579. Bibcode:1965PNAS...54..572M. doi:10.1073/pnas.54.2.572. PMC219706. PMID 5217444.
Wood, W. A. (1966). "Carbohydrate Metabolism". Annual Review of Biochemistry. 35: 521–558. doi:10.1146/annurev.bi.35.070166.002513. PMID 5329468.
Hollaender, Alexander, ed. (6 December 2012). "Basic Biology of Microbial Fermentation by Willis A. Wood". Trends in the Biology of Fermentations for Fuels and Chemicals (Proceedings of a symposium of trends in the biology of fermentation for fuels and chemicals held December 7–11, 1980, at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York). Basic Life Science, volume 18. Springer. pp. 3–17. ISBN9781468439809; pbk reprint{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
Bishop, David F.; Kitchen, Hyram; Wood, Willis A. (1981). "Evidence for erythroid and nonerythroid forms of δ-aminolevulinate synthetase". Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics. 206 (2): 380–391. doi:10.1016/0003-9861(81)90105-3. PMID 7224646.
Davey, Mary E.; Wood, Willis A.; Key, Rebekah; Nakamura, Kanji; Stahl, David A. (1993). "Isolation of Three Species of Geotoga and Petrotoga: Two New Genera, Representing a New Lineage in the Bacterial Line of Descent Distantly Related to the "Thermotogales"". Systematic and Applied Microbiology. 16 (2): 191–200. doi:10.1016/S0723-2020(11)80467-4.
Davey, Mary E.; Gevertz, Diane; Wood, Willis A.; Clark, James B.; Jenneman, Gary E. (1998). "Microbial selective plugging of sandstone through stimulation of indigenous bacteria in a hypersaline oil reservoir". Geomicrobiology Journal. 15 (4): 335–352. Bibcode:1998GmbJ...15..335D. doi:10.1080/01490459809378087.
Referencesedit
^ abcdef"Willis Avery Wood Obituary (2021)". Carmel Valley News. January 28, 2021.
^ abcdeBeitz, Don. "In Memoriam: Wood, Willis Avery (Woody) (1921–2021)". American Society for Microbiology.
^ abASBMB Today Staff (February 25, 2021). "In memoriam: Willis Wood — Remembering Wood and Sorimachi". ASBMB Today (The Member Magazine of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology).
April 15, 2024
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Willis Avery Woody Wood August 6 1921 January 17 2021 1 was an American microbiology professor an inventor and an entrepreneur He was the president of the American Society for Microbiology in 1980 Wood was known for his research on bacterial enzymes and the molecular biology of sugars and amino acids 2 Biography editWood graduated from high school in Binghamton New York 1 and graduated in 1947 with a B S in bacteriology from Cornell University From 1943 to 1946 he served in the U S Army 2 as a first lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps 3 At Cornell University Irwin Gunsalus was his faculty advisor In 1947 Gunsalus moved to Indiana University Bloomington IU and Wood followed him to become a graduate student there In 1950 Wood graduated from IU with a Ph D in microbiology His Ph D thesis on the enzymology of Enterococcus faecalis was supervised by Gunsalus Wood was from 1950 to 1958 a faculty member in the dairy science department of the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign and from 1958 to 1982 a professor of biochemistry at Michigan State University MSU 1 There he played an important role in the formation of the biochemistry department and chaired the department from 1964 to 1974 At MSU many collaborators after years of research found that adenosine monophosphate AMP acts as an allosteric ligand promoting dimerization of the identical subunits of the coenzyme pyridoxal phosphate Such dimerization greatly decreases the Michaelis constant KM in the Michaelis Menten kinetics of the dehydratase for L threonine This finding was a first in the enzymology of ligand induced oligomerization 2 At Michigan State Wood developed a recording spectrophotometer with a new photomultiplier arrangement and an automatic cuvette changer that was programmable This automated system manufactured by Gilford Instrument Laboratories Inc became widely used in research on enzymes In 1981 Neogen Corporation was founded with some investment from MSU to promote biotechnology in Lansing and the rest of Michigan Wood became Neogen s first president in 1982 2 From 1982 to 1990 he was the director of microbiology at the Salk Institute Biotechnology Industrial Associates SIBIA in La Jolla 1 Phillips Petroleum Company supported his research on oil recovery enhanced by bacteria 2 From 1990 to 2019 he was the principal scientist and vice president of The Agouron Institute with locations in both San Diego and Pasadena 1 In 1955 he received the Eli Lilly and Company Elanco Research Award 3 In 1947 he married Alice Jane Spencer of Nimmonsburg New York She died in 1975 In 1976 he married Hazel Katherine Reiten LeGrand of Iron Mountain Michigan His second wife died in 2012 Upon his death he was survived by three children from his first marriage four grandchildren and four great grandchildren 1 Selected publications editMortlock R P Wood W A 1964 Metabolism of Pentoses and Pentitols by Aerobacter aerogenes I Journal of Bacteriology 88 4 838 844 doi 10 1128 jb 88 4 838 844 1964 PMC 314822 PMID 14219044 Mortlock R P Fossitt D D Wood W A 1965 A basis for utlization of unnatural pentoses and pentitols by Aerobacter aerogenes Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 54 2 572 579 Bibcode 1965PNAS 54 572M doi 10 1073 pnas 54 2 572 PMC 219706 PMID 5217444 Wood W A 1966 Carbohydrate Metabolism Annual Review of Biochemistry 35 521 558 doi 10 1146 annurev bi 35 070166 002513 PMID 5329468 Hollaender Alexander ed 6 December 2012 Basic Biology of Microbial Fermentation by Willis A Wood Trends in the Biology of Fermentations for Fuels and Chemicals Proceedings of a symposium of trends in the biology of fermentation for fuels and chemicals held December 7 11 1980 at Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton New York Basic Life Science volume 18 Springer pp 3 17 ISBN 9781468439809 pbk reprint a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint postscript link Bishop David F Kitchen Hyram Wood Willis A 1981 Evidence for erythroid and nonerythroid forms of d aminolevulinate synthetase Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 206 2 380 391 doi 10 1016 0003 9861 81 90105 3 PMID 7224646 Davey Mary E Wood Willis A Key Rebekah Nakamura Kanji Stahl David A 1993 Isolation of Three Species of Geotoga and Petrotoga Two New Genera Representing a New Lineage in the Bacterial Line of Descent Distantly Related to the Thermotogales Systematic and Applied Microbiology 16 2 191 200 doi 10 1016 S0723 2020 11 80467 4 Davey Mary E Gevertz Diane Wood Willis A Clark James B Jenneman Gary E 1998 Microbial selective plugging of sandstone through stimulation of indigenous bacteria in a hypersaline oil reservoir Geomicrobiology Journal 15 4 335 352 Bibcode 1998GmbJ 15 335D doi 10 1080 01490459809378087 References edit a b c d e f Willis Avery Wood Obituary 2021 Carmel Valley News January 28 2021 a b c d e Beitz Don In Memoriam Wood Willis Avery Woody 1921 2021 American Society for Microbiology a b ASBMB Today Staff February 25 2021 In memoriam Willis Wood Remembering Wood and Sorimachi ASBMB Today The Member Magazine of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Willis A Wood amp oldid 1194344087, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
