Amy Klocko, Ph.D.

• 2011-2012 Postdoctoral Associate, Fowler lab, Botany and Plant Pathology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
• 2010-2011 Postdoctoral Associate, Dolja and Fowler labs, Botany and Plant Pathology Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
• 2009-2010 Postdoctoral Fellow, Nielsen lab, Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
• 2009 Ph.D., Plant Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
• 2003 B.S., Biology, chemistry minor, Linfield College, McMinnville, Oregon

• Instructor, Biology Department, UCCS, CO, 2017-2018
• Research Associate, Strauss lab, Forest Ecosystems & Society Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, 2012-2017
• Adjunct Instructor, Biology Department, Linn-Benton Community College, Albany, Oregon, 2012-2013
• Visiting Scientist, Institute of Experimental Botany, Prague, Czech Republic, 2011

• BIOL 1060 Modern Biology lab
• BIOL 1300 General Biology I
• BIOL 1310 General Biology I lab
• BIOL 3230 Plant Physiology
• BIOL 3830 Genetics
• BIOL 4830 Explorations in Genetics
• BIOL 9499 Research and Creative Works

Dr. Klocko is a plant geneticist who uses CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing of key floral regulatory gene in trees. This work has potential applications in ornamental horticulture, genetic containment of plantation forestry, reducing spread of invasive species, and in guiding regulations of gene-edited plants. Her lab currently has two main projects. One is a field-study of CRISPR-Cas9 hybrid poplar trees examining the efficacy, stability, and genetic chimerism of this population. The second project is utilizing CRISPR-Cas9 to target two potentially redundant MADS box genes in domestic apple. Dr. Klocko loves plants and genetics and is always interested in meeting with students who would like to gain experience in plant science research.

• Klocko, A.L., Tomoya Esumi, P. William Hughes, (2024) “editorial: floral biology: understanding and applications” Frontiers in Plant Science 15:

   

• Jacobson, S., Bondarchuk, N., Nguyen, T.A., Canada, A., McCord, L., Artlip, T.S., Welser, P. and Klocko, A.L. (2023) “Apple CRISPR-Cas9 – a recipe for successful targeting of AGAMOUS-like genes in domestic apple” Plants 12:1-18

  • Part of Special Issue on Plant Biotechnology for Fruit Crop Improvement: Development and Innovation

     

• Klocko, A.L., Elorriaga, E., Ma., C., and Strauss, S.H. (2023) “Variation in floral form of CRISPR knock-outs of the poplar homologs of LEAFY and AGAMOUS after FT-heat-induced early flowering” Horticulture Research 10:1-11.

   

• Nagle, M.F., Nahata, S.S., Zahl, B., Nino de Rivera, A., Tacker, X.V., Elorriaga, E., Ma, C., Goralogia, G., Klocko, A.L., Gordon, M., and Strauss, S.H. (2023) “Knockout of floral and meiosis genes using CRISPR/Cas9 produces male-sterility in Eucalyptus without impacts on vegetative growth” Plant Direct 7:e507.

• Schmid, K.M., Avena, J., Hobbie, L., Kalas, P., Kelly, T., Klocko, A.L., Pavlova, I.V., Radick, G., Edris Snow, L., and Smith, M.K. (2023) “Honoring the Complexity of Genetics: Exploring the Role of Genes and the Environment Using Real World Examples” CourseSource10:1-11.

   

• Klocko, A.L., (2022) “A Rapid Genetic Screen Using Wisconsin Fast Plants®: a hands-on approach to inheritance of de novo mutations” CourseSource 9:1-12.

   

• Klocko, A.L. (2022) “Genetic Containment For Molecular Farming” Plants 11:2436.

  • Part of Special Issue on Plants as Molecular Farming Factories

     

• Klocko A.L., Goddard A., Jacobson J.R., Magnuson A, and Strauss S.H. (2021) “RNAi Suppression of LEAFY Gives Stable Floral Sterility, and Reduced Growth Rate and Leaf Size, in Field-Grown Poplars” Plants 10(8):1594.

   

• Goralogia, G.S., Howe, G., Klocko, A.L., Heliwell, E., Nagle, M., Ma., C and Strauss, S.H. 2021 “Overexpression of SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE-LIKE (SVL) in Populus delays onset and reduces abundance of flowering in field-grown trees” Horticulture Research 8:167

   

• Elorriaga, E., Klocko, A.L., Ma, C., du Plessis, M., Xinmin, A., Myburg, A., and Strauss, S.H. (2021) “Genetic containment in vegetatively propagated forest trees: CRISPR disruption of LEAFY function in Eucalyptus gives sterile indeterminate inflorescences and normal juvenile development” Plant Biotechnology Journal 19:1743-1755.

   

• Klocko, A.L. “Containment strategies of genetically engineered plants” (2020) CAB Review, ISSBN 1749-8848

   

• Klocko A.L., Brunner, A.M., Ma, C., Etherington, E.., Rosenstiel, K., Magnuson, A., Taylor, B.J., Cappellazzi, J., Lockwood, T., Covarrubias, N., Bao, M., Morrell, J.J., and Strauss, S.H. (2020) “RNAi of AGAMOUS genes in sweetgum alters reproductive organ identity and decreases fruit persistence” Plant Direct. 4:e00225

   

• Lu, H., Klocko, A.L., Brunner, A.M., Ma, C., Magnuson, A. C., and Strauss, S.H. (2019). “RNAi suppression of AGAMOUS and SEEDSTICK alters floral organ identity and impairs floral organ determinacy, ovule differentiation, and seed-hair development in Populus” New Phytologist 222:923–937

• Klocko, A.L., Lu, H., Magnuson, A., Ma, C. and Strauss, S.H. (2018) “Phenotypic expression and stability in a large-scale field study of genetically engineered poplars containing sexual containment transgenes.” Frontiers in Biotechnology and Bioengineering 6:1-18. 

   

• Fritschel, S., Klocko, A.L., Boron, A., Brunner, A.M. and Thorlby, G. “Strategies for engineering reproductive sterility in plantation forests” (2018) Frontiers in Plant Science 9: 1-8. 

   

• Elorriaga, E., Klocko, A.L., Ma, C., and Strauss, S.H. (2018) “Variation in mutation spectra among CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenized poplars” Frontiers in Plant Science 9:1-12. 

   

• Nagle, M^*, LeBoldus, J., and Klocko, A.L. (2018) “Host induced gene silencing for pest/pathogen control” eLS, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd: Chichester, DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0023726

   

• McGarry, R.C, Klocko, A.L., Pang, M., Strauss, S.H., and. Ayre, B.G., (2017) “Virus-induced flowering: An application of reproductive biology to benefit plant research and breeding” Plant Physiology 173:47-55. 

   

• Strauss, S.H., Jones, K.N., Lu, H., Petit, J.D., Klocko, A.L., Betts, M.G., Brosi, B.J., Fletcher, R.J., and Needham, M.D. (2017) “Reproductive Modification in Forest Plantations: Impacts on Biodiversity and Society” New Phytologist 213:1000-1021.

   

• Klocko, A.L., Brunner, A.M., Huang, J., Meilan, R, Lu, H., Ma, C., Morel, A., Zhao, D., Ault, K., Dow, M., Shevchenko, O., and Strauss, S.H. (2016) “Containment of transgenic trees by suppression of LEAFY” Nature Biotechnology 34:918-922

  • Press release: https://news.oregonstate.edu/news/successful-control-reproduction-could-help-address-concerns-about-use-engineered-trees 

     

• Lu, H., Klocko, A.L., Dow, M, Ma, C., Amarasinghe, V. and Strauss, S.H. (2016) “Low frequency and deleterious impacts from zinc finger nuclease mutagenesis in Populus" Molecular Breeding 36 DOI: 10.1007/s11032-016-0546-z

   

• Klocko, A.L., Borejsza-Wysocka, E., Brunner, A.M., Aldwinckle, H. and Strauss, S.H. (2016) “Transgenic suppression of AGAMOUS genes in apple reduces fertility and increases floral attractiveness” PloS ONE 11:e0159421

   

• Klocko, A.L., Ma, C., Robertson, S., Esfandiari, E., Nilsson, O., and Strauss, S.H. (2015). “FT overexpression induces precocious flowering and normal reproductive development in Eucalyptus.” Plant Biotechnology Journal, DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12431

   

• Antignani, V., Klocko, A.L., Bak, G., Chandrasekaran, S.D., Dunivin, T., and Nielsen, E. (2015). “Raba4B-mediated Recruitment of PUB13 and the PI4Kβ1/β2 Phosphatidylinositol-4 Kinases Play Important Roles During SA-mediated Plant Defense Signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana.”  The Plant Cell. 1:243-261. 

   

• Vining, K.J., Romanel, E., Jones, R.C., Klocko, A. L., Alves-Ferreira, M., Hefer, C.A., Amarasinghe, V., Dharmawardhana, P., Naithani, S., Jaiswal, P., Ranik, M., Wesley-Smith, J., Solomon, L., Myburg, A.A., and Steven H. Strauss. (2014). “The floral transcriptome of Eucalyptus grandis.”  New Phytologist, 4:1406-1422.

  • Companion paper to Myburg et al. (2014). The genome of Eucalyptus grandis. Nature. 510:356-362.

     

• Klocko, A.L., Meilan, R., James, R.R., Viswanath, V., Ma, C., Payne, P., Miller, L., Skinner, J.S., Oppert, B., Cardineau, G.A., and Strauss, S.H. (2014). “Bt-Cry3Aa transgene expression reduces insect damage and improves growth in field-grown hybrid poplar.” Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 44:28-35.

  • Press release: http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2013/dec/significant-advance-reported-genetically-modified-poplar-trees

     

• Peremyslov, V.V., Klocko, A.L., Fowler, J.E., and Dolja, V.V. (2012).  “Plant myosin XI localizes to the motile endomembrane vesicles associated with F-actin.” Frontiers in Plant Science. 3:1-7.

   

• Park, S., Szumlanski, A.L., Gu, F., Guo, F., and Nielsen, E. (2011) “A role for CSLD3 during cell wall synthesis in apical plasma membranes of tip-growing root hair cells.” Nature Cell Biology. 13:973-980.

   

• Szumlanski, A.L., and Nielsen, E. (2009) “The Rab GTPase RabA4d regulates pollen tube tip growth in Arabidopsis thaliana.” The Plant Cell. 21:526-544. 

  • This article was featured on the journal cover. 

     

• Lee, Y.J., Szumlanski, A., Nielsen, E., and Yang, Z. (2008) “Rho-GTPase-dependent F-actin dynamics coordinate vesicle targeting and exocytosis during tip growth. Journal of Cell Biology.” 181: 1155-1168. 

   

• Hwang, J.U., Vernoud, V., Szumlanski, A., Nielsen, E., and Yang, Z. (2008) “A tip-localized Rho GTPase activating protein controls cell polarity by globally inhibiting Rho GTPase at the cell apex.” Current Biology. 18: 1907-1916. 

• Mukhles, G., Shakir, S., Fulco, G., de Angeli Dutra, D., Burnette, K., Mach, F. Klocko, A.L., Ribeiro Junior, H.L., Turki, H., Bezerra, P., Lu, Z., Kim, B., He, S., Andres, R.M., Obasa, A.E., and Chua, S.L. (2024) “Welcome to the Science Olympics!” Science, 386:20-22.
• Strauss, S.H., Ma, C., Ault, K., and Klocko, A.L. (2016) “Lessons from two decades of field trials with genetically modified trees in the USA: Biology and regulatory compliance.” In: Biosafety of Transgenic Forest Trees.  (C. Vettori, F. Gallarado, H. Haggman, V. Kazana, F. Migliacci, G. Pilate and M. Fladung, eds.) Springer. 101-126.
• Colby, S., Klocko, A.L., and Steven H. Strauss (2014) “Characterization of Gene Expression in Transgenic Plants with Modified Floral Gene Expression.” The Catalyst, volume 4, 11-13.
• Klocko, A., Stanton, B., van Oosten, C., and Strauss, S.H. (2013) “Green Revolution plantations: Could short trees be a big thing?” Information Systems for Biotechnology Report, 1-3.
• Szumlanski, A.L. and Nielsen, E. (2010) “Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate is required for tip growth in Arabidopsis thaliana.” In: Plant Lipid Signaling (T. Munnik, ed.), Plant Cell Monographs, 65-77, Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, Germany.
• Szumlanski, A.L., (2009) “The A. thaliana Rab GTPase RabA4d and its Effector Protein PI-4Kβ1 Are Required for Normal Pollen Tube Tip Growth While the Putative RabA4b Effector PUB13 is Important for Resistance to Pseudomonas syringae DC3000.”  PhD dissertation, Plant Biology Program, Washington University in St. Louis.