James C. Pierce Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Genetics and Biotechnology
Chair
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
600 South 43rd Street
Philadelphia, PA   19104-4495 

STC 221
Phone: 215-596-8924
email:   j.pierce@usip.edu
web: /bioinformatics.usip.edu/jpierce/

Research Interests:
My research interests are mainly centered on the molecular biological properties of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and the applied application of this knowledge using the tools of biotechnology, bioinformatics and genetic engineering. My research focus is from a genomic perspective. Model systems that I have worked on include, humans, rat, mouse, Limulus polyphemus (horseshoe crabs), oysters, herbal plants, bacteria and bacteriophage T7/P1. Current research projects include the development and use of microarray technology for gene expression analysis and DNA identification applications.

Publications and Patents:
Uberti, M.A., Pierce, J.C. and Weis, M.T. (2003) Molecular Characterization of a Rabbit Long-chain Fatty Acyl CoA Synthetase that is Highly Expressed in the Vascular Endothelium. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. 1645. 193-204.

Gaffney, P.M., Pierce, J.C., Mackinlay,A.G., Tichen, D.A. and Glenn, W.K. (2003) Pearl, A Novel Family of Putative Transposable Elements in Bivalve Molluscs. Journal of Molecular Evolution. 56. 308-316.

Pierce, J.C. (2002) In-Frame Cloning of Synthetic Genes Using PCR Inserts. In: Chen, Bing-Yuan and Janes, Harry, W. (Eds.) PCR Cloning Protocols (2nd Edition). Methods in Molecular Biology. Humana Press, USA. pp 175-187.

Xu, Z., Guo, X., Gaffney, P.A. and Pierce, J.C. (2001) Chromosomal Location of the Major Ribosomal RNA Genes in the Eastern and Pacific Oysters. Veliger. 44. 79-83.

Pierce, J.C., Tan, G., and Gaffney, P. (2000) Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay Populations of the Horseshoe Crab Limulus polyphemus are Genetically Distinct. Estuaries 23. 690-698.

Mihalov, J.J., Der Marderosian, A. and Pierce, J.C., (2000) DNA Identification of Commercial Ginseng Samples. Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry 48. 3744-3752.

Pierce, J.C., Maloy, W.L., Salvador, L. and Dungan, C.F. (1997) Recombinant Expression of the Antimicorbial Peptide Polyphemusin and its Activity Against the Protozoan Oyster Pathogen, Perkinsus marinus. Molecular and Marine Biology and Biotechnology 6, 248-259.

Pierce, J.C. (1996) In-Frame Cloning of Synthetic Genes Using PCR Inserts. in: White, B.A. (Ed.) PCR Cloning Protocols: Methodsin Molecular Biology, Humana Press, USA. pp 151-165.

Coren, J., Pierce, J.C. and Sternberg, N. (1995) Headful Packaging Revisited: The Packaging of more than one DNA Molecule into a Bacteriophage P1 Head. Journal of Molecular Biology. 249, 176-184.

Pierce, J.C. (1994) In-frame Coning of Large Synthetic Genes Using Moderate Size Oligonucleotides. BioTechniques. 16, 708-715.

Southard-Smith, M., Pierce, J.C. and MacDonald, R.J. (1994) Physical Mapping of the Rat Tissue Kallikrein Family in Two Gene Clusters by Analysis of P1 Bacteriophage Clones. Genomics. 22,404-417.

Gasser, DL. Sternberg, NL., Pierce, JC., Goldner-Sauve, A., Feng, H., Haq, A., Spies, T., Hunt, C., Buetow, KH. and Chaplin, DD. (1994) P1 and Cosmid Clones Define the Organization of the 280 kb of the Mouse H-2 Complex Containing the Cps-1 and Hsp70 loci. Immunogenetics. 39, 48-55.

Hunt, CR., Gasser, DL., Chaplin, DD., Pierce, JC. and Kozak, CA. (1993) Chromosomal Localization of Five Murine HSP70 Gene Family Members: Hsp70-1, Hap70-2, Hsp70-3, Hsp70t and Grp78. Genomics. 16, 193-198.

Pierce, J.C. and Sternberg (1992) Using the Bacteriophage P1 System to Clone High Molecular Weight (HMW) Genomic DNA. Methods in Enzymology. 216, 549-574.

Pierce, J.C., Sternberg, N. and Sauer, B. (1992) A Genomic Mouse Library in the Bacteriophage P1 Cloning System: Organization and Characterization. Mammalian Genome. 3, 550-558.

Pierce, J.C. and Sternberg, N. (1992) The Bacteriophage P1 Cloning System. in: Anand, R. (Ed.), Techniques for the Analysis of Complex Genomes, Academic Press Limited, London. 39-58.

Pierce, J.C., Sauer, B. and Sternberg, N. (1992) A Positive Selection Vector for the Cloning of High Molecular Weight DNA by the Bacteriophage P1 System: Improved Cloning Efficacy. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 89, 2056-2060.

Skorupski, K., Pierce, J.C., Sauer, B. and Sternberg, N. (1992) Bacteriophage P1 Genes Involved in the Recognition and Cleavage of the Phage Packaging Site. Journal of Molecular Biology. 223, 977-989.

Pierce, J.C. and Masker, W.E. (1992) Fameshift Mutagenesis in Bacteriophage T7. Mutation Research Letters 281, 81-87.

Pierce, J.C., Kong, D. and Masker, W. (1991) The Effect of Length of Direct Repeat and the Presence of Palindromes in Bacteriophage T7. Nucleic Acids Research 19, 3901-3905.

Scearce, L.M., Pierce, J.C., McInroy, B. and Masker, W.E. (1991) Deletion Mutagenesis Independent of Recombination in Bacteriophage T7. Journal of Bacteriology. 173, 869-878.

Pierce, J.C. and Masker, W.E. (1989) Genetic Deletions Between Directly Repeated Sequences in Bacteriophage T7. Molecular and General Genetics 217, 215-222.

Pierce, J.C. and Masker, W.E. (1988) A Single-base Change in Gene 10 of Bacteriophage T7 Permits Growth on Shigella sonnei. Journal of Virology. 62 4369-4371.

Harper, RA., Pierce, JC. and Savage, CR.Jr. (1987) Purification of Human Epidermal Growth Factor by Monoclonal Antibody Affinity Chromatography. Methods in Enzymology 146, 3-11.

Other Publications:
Phylogenetic Characterization of Microorganisms by 16S rRNA Sequence Analysis. J.C. Pierce and C.B. Purzycki. In Microbiology Laboratory Exercises: for Health Related Majors (5th Edition), Frank Roia
and Robert A. Smith; Eds. (1998)

Bioinformatics: Educating the Scientists of the Future. J.C. Pierce. BioTech Journal International (2000) Vol 5. No.6 (Nov.Dec.).

Patents:
A New Positive Selection Vector for the Bacteriophage P1 Cloning System. Inventors: James C. Pierce and Nat Sternberg. United States and International Patent Application Submitted, February 26, 1991. United States Patent granted April 5, 1994 . #5,300,431

Recombinant Production of Antimicrobial Peptides
Inventors: Jon I. Williams, James C. Pierce, G. Mark Anderson and Prasad Kari. United States Patent and International Patent Application Submitted, September, 1994. United States Patent granted December 31, 1996. #5,589,364