Michael Witty

Peer Reviewed Papers Accepted for Publication

• Witty M (2009). Qualitative detection of Struvite, a component of environmental ammonia. The Journal of Environmental Detection; accepted for publication.
• Witty M, Lisa J, DeLorenzo S, LePage T, Daniel J, Pratt B, Bernstock J, Souza S and Tiedemann J (2009). Wreck pond Antibiotic Resistance Analysis of Surface and Sediment Samples. The Journal of Environmental Detection; accepted for publication.

Conference Proceedings

• Tiedemann J, Nickels J and Witty M (2008). Real-time water quality monitoring shows nocturnal troughs of dissolved oxygen that may cause unsolved fish kills. Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference Abstract, submitted for October 2009.
• Sciarappa B, Hulme B, Muscio C, Tiedemann J, Witty M, Lisa J, Phelps C, Bolin G and Marino G (2008). Agricultural characterization, land use assessment and microbial source tracking within the wreck pond brook watershed. National Water Quality Monitoring Conference Proceedings May 18-22.
• Sciarappa B, Hulme B, Muscio C, Tiedemann J, Witty M., Lisa J, Phelps C (2008). New Monitoring and Mapping Technology in Watershed Management: A Tiered Approach to Identifying, Tracking and Remediating Pollution Sources in Watersheds. National Water Quality Monitoring Conference Abstract May 18-22.

Peer Reviewed Scientific Journal Papers

1. Witty M, Nickles J, Lisa J and Tiedemann J (2009). Ecology, DNA and the future of Microbial Source Tracking. Water, Air and Soil Pollution 201(1):219-232. [Abstract].
2. Witty M, Jordan J, Wilson C, Yard A and Tiedemann J (2009). Ecological data and Escherichia coli assays differentiate two sources of pollution at a New Jersey beach. The Journal of Environmental Detection 1(2):39-44. [Full text link].
3. Witty M (2008). Wolffia brasiliensis anatomy is revealed using a simple Microscope Press. Microscopie 2(10):44-48.
4. Krebitz,M., Wagner,B., Ferreira,F., Peterbauer,H., Campillo,N., Witty,M., Kolarich,D., Steinkellner,H., Scheiner,O., and Breiteneder,H.(2003). Plant-based heterologous expression of Mald2, a thaumatin-like protein and allergen of apple Malus domestica, and its characterization as an antifungal protein. Journal of Molecular Biology 329:721-730. [Download pdf file].
   
5. von Delft,F., Inoue,T., Saldanha,S.A., Ottenhof,H.H., Schmitzberger,F., Birch,L.M., Dhanaraj,V., Witty,M., Smith,A.G., Blundell,T.L. and Abell,C.(2003). Structure of E. coli ketopantoate hydroxymethyltransferase complexed with ketopantoate and Mg2+, solved by locating 160 selenomethionine sites. Structure 11:985-996. [Download pdf file].
6. Schmitzberger,F., Kilkenny,M.L., Lobley,C.M.C., Webb,M.E., Vincovic,M., Matak-Vincovic,D, Witty,M., Chirgadze,D.Y., Smith,A.G., Abell,C and Blundell,T.L. (2003). Structural constraints on protein self-processing in L-aspartate-a-decarboxylase. The EMBO Journal 22:6193-6204. [Download pdf file].
7. Witty,M., Sanz,S., Shah,A., Grossman,J.G., Mizuguchi,K., Perham,R.N., Luisi,B. (2002). Structure of the periplasmic domain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa TolA: evidence for an evolutionary relationship with the TonB transporter protein. The EMBO Journal 21:4207-4218. [Abstract]. [Full text link]. [Download pdf file].
   
8. Albert,A., Dhanaraj,V., Genschel,U., Khan,G.L., Ramjee,M.K., Pulido,R., Sibanda,B.L., von Delft,F., Witty,M., Blundell,T.L., Smith,A.G. and Abell,C. (1998). Crystal structure of Aspartate Decarboxylase at 2.2A resolution provides evidence for an ester in protein self-processing. Nature Structural Biology 5:289-293. [Abstract]. [Download pdf file].
9. Witty,M. (1998). New technologies for taste modifying proteins. Trends in Food Science and Technology 9:275-280.
   
10. Witty,M., Barber,J. and Hiller,R.G. (1996).Spinach CP47 is not anomalous among higher plants. Plant Physiology 112:446.
11. Witty,M., Jones,R.M., Jordan,P.M.S. and Smith,A.G. (1996). Subcellular location of the tetrapyrrole synthesis enzyme porphobilinogen deaminase in higher plants - an immunological investigation. Planta 199:557-564.
12. Lim,S.H., Witty,M., Wallace-Cook,A.D.M., Ilag,L.I., and Smith,A.G. (1994). Porphobilinogen deaminase is encoded by a single gene in Arabidopsis thaliana and is targeted to the chloroplasts. Plant Molecular Biology 26:863-872.
13. Bejarano,E.R., Khashoggi,A.M., Witty,M. and Lichtenstein,C.P. (1994). Discovery of ancient recombination between geminiviral DNA and the nuclear genome of Nicotiana sp. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 93:759-764. [Full text]. [Download pdf file].
    
14. Witty,M, Wallace-Cook,A.D.M., Albrecht,H., Spano,A.J., Michel,H., Shabanowitz,J., Hunt,D.F., Timko,M.P., and Smith,A.G. (1993). Structure and expression of chloroplast localized porphobilinogen deaminase from pea (Pisum sativum L.) isolated by redundant polymerase chain-reaction. Plant Physiology 103:139-147. [Full text]. [Download pdf file].
    
15. Witty,M. (1992). Thaumatin II: a sweet marker gene for use in plants. Methods in Enzymology. 216:441-447.
16. Witty,M. (1990). Preprothaumatin II is processed to biological activity in Solanum tuberosum. Biotechnology Letters 12:131-136.
17. Witty,M. (1990). Thaumatin II - a palatability protein. Trends in Biotechnology 8:113-116.
18. Witty,M. and Harvey,WJ. (1990). Sensory evaluation of transgenic Solanum tuberosum producing r-thaumatin II. New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science 18:77-80.
19. Witty,M. (1989). Thaumatin II: a simple marker gene for use in plants. Nucleic Acids Research 17(8):3312.
[Full text]. [Download pdf file].

Peer Reviewed Books

• Witty,M. and Higginbotham,J.D. (Editors, 1994). Thaumatin. CRC Press 1994. ISBN 0849351960, including chapter 12, Witty,M., Thaumatin in biotechnology. [Availability].
• Smith,A.G. and Witty,M. (Editors, 2001). Heme, Chlorophyll, and Bilins: Methods and Protocols. Humana Press 2001. ISBN 1588291111, including chapter 1, Smith,A.G. and Witty,M., Laboratory Methods for the Study of Porphyrins. [Availability].

Peer Reviewed Educational Materials

• Witty,M. (2008). The Gliding Motion of Oscillatoria and Diatoms. Microbe, American Society for Microbiology 3(12):582 and MicrobeLibrary Accession 2840.
• Witty,M. (2008). Video microscopy shows behavior of Vorticella colonizing Lemna. Microbe, American Society for Microbiology 3(12):582 and MicrobeLibrary Accession 2839.
• Witty,M. (2008). An Environmental Sample which Shows Ciliates Preying on Diatoms. Microbe, American Society for Microbiology 3(12):582 and MicrobeLibrary Accession 2834.
• Witty,M. (2009). Bdelloid Rotifer Feeding and Locomotory behavior. Microbe, American Society for Microbiology, accepted for publication.
• Witty,M. (2009). Aeolosoma hemprichi ingestion of soil particles and digestion of microbial films. Microbe, American Society for Microbiology, accepted for publication.
• Witty,M. (2009). Cephalodella anatomy and behavior. Microbe, American Society for Microbiology, accepted for publication.
• Witty,M. (2009). Campanella colonize Nitella. Microbe, American Society for Microbiology, accepted for publication.

Peer Reviewed Electronic Publications

• Albert A, Dhanaraj V, Genschel U, Khan G, Ramjee MK, Pulido R, Sybanda BL, Vondelf F, Witty M, Blundell TL, Smith AG, Abell C (1997). Pyruvoyl Dependent Aspartate Decarboxylase. Brookhaven PDB 1AW8.
• Witty M, Sanz C, Shah A, Grossmann JG, Mizuguchi K, Perham RN, Luisi B. (2002). Pseudomonas aeruginosa TolA Domain III, Seleno-methionine Derivative. Brookhaven PDB 1LR0.
• von Delft, F., Inoue, T., Saldanha, S.A., Ottenhof, HH, Schmitzberger, F., Birch, L.M., Dhanaraj, V., Witty, M., Smith, A.G., Blundell, T.L., Abell, C. (2003). Crystal Structure of Ketopantoate Hydroxymethyltransferase complexed with the Product Ketopantoate. Brookhaven PDB 1m3u.
• Schmitzberger F, Kilkenny ML, Lobley CMC, Webb ME, Vinkovic M, Matak-Vinkovic D, Witty M, Chirgadze DY, Smith AG, Abell C, Blundell TL (2003). Native precursor of pyruvoyl dependent Aspartate decarboxylase. Brookhaven PDB 1PPY.
• Schmitzberger F, Kilkenny ML, Lobley CMC, Webb ME, Vinkovic M, Matak-Vinkovic D, Witty M, Chirgadze DY, Smith AG, Abell C, Blundell TL (2003). S25A mutant of pyruvoyl dependent aspartate decarboxylase. Brookhaven PDB 1PQE.
• Schmitzberger F, Kilkenny ML, Lobley CMC, Webb ME, Vinkovic M, Matak-Vinkovic D, Witty M, Chirgadze DY, Smith AG, Abell C, Blundell TL (2003). Glycine 24 to Serine mutation of aspartate decarboxylase. Brookhaven PDB 1PQF.
• Schmitzberger F, Kilkenny ML, Lobley CMC, Webb ME, Vinkovic M, Matak-Vinkovic D, Witty M, Chirgadze DY, Smith AG, Abell C, Blundell TL (2003). Serine 25 to Threonine mutation of aspartate decarboxylase. Brookhaven PDB 1PQH.
• Schmitzberger F, Kilkenny ML, Lobley CMC, Webb ME, Vinkovic M, Matak-Vinkovic D, Witty M, Chirgadze DY, Smith AG, Abell C, Blundell TL (2003). Unprocessed Pyruvoyl Dependent Aspartate Decarboxylase with an Alanine insertion at position 26. Brookhaven PDB 1PT0.
• Schmitzberger F, Kilkenny ML, Lobley CMC, Webb ME, Vinkovic M, Matak-Vinkovic D, Witty M, Chirgadze DY, Smith AG, Abell C, Blundell TL (2003). Unprocessed Pyruvoyl Dependent Aspartate Decarboxylase with Histidine 11 Mutated to Alanine. Brookhaven PDB 1PT1.
• Schmitzberger F, Kilkenny ML, Lobley CMC, Webb ME, Vinkovic M, Matak-Vinkovic D, Witty M, Chirgadze DY, Smith AG, Abell C, Blundell TL (2003). Unprocessed Aspartate Decarboxylase Mutant, with Alanine inserted at position 24. Brookhaven PDB 1PYQ.
• Schmitzberger F, Kilkenny ML, Lobley CMC, Webb ME, Vinkovic M, Matak-Vinkovic D, Witty M, Chirgadze DY, Smith AG, Abell C, Blundell TL (2003). Processed Aspartate Decarboxylase Mutant with Ser25 mutated to Cys. Brookhaven PDB 1PYU.

Electronic Publications

• Witty,M. (1993). Arabidopsis thaliana gene for hemC. GenBank Accession X73839.
• Witty,M. (1993). Pisum sativum hemC mRNA for hydroxymethylbilane synthase. GenBank Accession X73418.
• Witty,M. (1994). Arabidopsis thaliana gene for porphobilinogen deaminase. GenBank Accession X73535.
• Witty,M. (1996). Spinacia oleracea chloroplast DNA for CP47 gene. GenBank Accession X98877.

Commercial and Government Reports

• Tiedemann, JA and Witty, M (2007). Silver Bay Microbial Source Tracking Study. Submitted to Birdsall Engineering, New Jersey. Project funded by The Barnegat Bay National Estury Program.
• Tiedemann, JA, Witty, M, DeLorenzo, S, LePage, T, Daniel, J (2007). Bronx River Ecosystem Restoration Microbial Source Tracking Study. Submitted to Princeton Hydro, New Jersey. Project funded by The US Army Corps of Engineers, New York District.
• Tiedemann, JA, Witty, M, Lisa, J, Souza, S and Bernstock, J (2007). Deal Lake Watershed Microbial Source Tracking Study. Submitted to The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Watershed Management. Contract RPF 04-007.
• Tiedemann, JA, Witty, M, Lisa, J, Souza, S and Bernstock, J (2007). Shark River Watershed Microbial Source Tracking Study. Submitted to The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Watershed Management. Contract RPF 04-007.
• Tiedemann, JA, Witty, M, Lisa, J, Souza, S and Bernstock, J (2007). Wreck Pond Watershed Microbial Source Tracking Study. Submitted to The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Watershed Management. Contract RPF 04-007.

Continuing Education and Workshop Teaching

• Witty, M (2007, October 20th). Understanding streams and watersheds. Cook College Office of Continuing Professional Education. Coastal Watershed Seminar Series: Streamside Living in Monmouth County. Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Monmouth College.
• Witty, M (2007, November 8th). Development of qPCR methods for microbial source tracking in fecal impaired waterbodies. New Jersey Microbial Source Tracking Work Group. Monmouth County Agricultural Center, Freehold, New Jersey.
• Witty M (2008, February 25th). Development of DNA Methods for MST in Fecal Impaired Waterbodies. Senior Seminar, Two River Mayors Meeting, Municipal Building, Little Silver, New Jersey.
• Witty M (2008, February 25th). DNA Methods for MST in Fecal Impaired Waterbodies. Senior Seminar, Department of Biology, Monmouth University.

Popular articles

• Witty,M. (1998). Rediscovering Thaumatococcus daniellii. Fruit Gardener 30:23. ISSN 1049 4545.
• Witty,M. (1999). Proteins pack muscle to modify taste. Prepared Foods, May 1999.
• Witty,M. (2007). Microbial Source Tracking. Urban Coast Institute Newsletter 1(1):4. [Full text].
• Witty,M. (2008). Microbes: the good,the bad and the ugly. Urban Coast Institute Newsletter 2(1):5. [Full text].
• Witty,M. (2008). Beautiful but delicate. Urban Coast Institute Newsletter 2(2):6. [Full text].
• Witty,M. (2008). UCI Videos in the American Society for Microbiology MicrobeLibrary Visual Collection. Urban Coast Institute Newsletter 2(3):3. [Full text].

Structures of some proteins important to my research

• Left to right, top to bottom: 1LR0 (my structure for Pseudomonas TolA domain III) (see Witty et al 2002). 1THW (Thaumatococcus thaumatin protein) not crystallised by me, but a long standing interest (Witty and Higginbotham 1994). 1AW8 (My group's structure for E. coli Aspartate decarboxylase) the first protein structural project I was involved with (Albert et al 1998). These images were made using SPDBViewer.