Matthew A. Jenks

Professor, Bud Antle Endowed Chair for Excellence - School of Plant Sciences
jenksm@arizona.edu, Forbes 135

Educational Background

  • BS - Horticultural Science, Michigan State University
  • MS - Horticultural Science, University of Florida
  • PhD - Horticultural Science, Purdue University

Research Interests

  • Jenks' research seeks to elucidate whole plant and cellular mechanisms underlying plant adaptability to both biotic and abiotic environmental stress, with a main focus on the plant cuticle.
  • Jenks' teaching and research is placing increasing emphasis on plant industrial products.
  • Currently, I am not bringing on new students or postdocs.

Selected Publications

Huang H, Yang X, Zheng M, Chen Z, Yang Z, Wu P, Jenks MA, Wang G, Feng T, Liu L, Yang P, Lü S, Zhao H 2023. An ancestral role for 3-KETOACYL-COA SYNTHASE3 as a negative regulator of plant cuticular wax synthesis. Plant Cell 35:2251-2270.
Li S, Yang X, Huang H, Qiao R, Jenks MA, Zhao H, Lü S 2022. Arabidopsis ACYL‐ACTIVATING ENZYME 9 (AAE9) encoding an isobutyl‐CoA synthetase is a key factor connecting branched‐chain amino acid catabolism with iso‐branched wax biosynthesis. New Phytologist 233:2458-2470. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.17941.
Feng T, Wu P, Gao H, Kosma DK, Jenks MA, Lu S 2022. Natural variation in root suberization is associated with local environment in Arabidopsis thaliana. New Phytologist 236:385-398 https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18341.
Qayyum Q, Ayoubi SA, Sher A, Bibi Y, Ahmad S, Shen Z, Jenks MA 2021. Improvement in drought tolerance in bread wheat is related to an improvement in osmolyte production, antioxidant enzyme activities, and gaseous exchange. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.05.040.
Tomasi P, Herritt MT, Jenks MA, Thompson AL 2021. Quantification of leaf wax and cutin monomer composition in Pima (Gossypium barbadense L.) and upland (G. hirsutum L.) cotton. Industrial Crops & Products 169, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2021.113670.
Xu X, Chen N, Feng J, Zhou M, He J, Zou Y, Shi S, Zhou Y, Jenks MA 2020. Comparative analyses of leaf cuticular lipids of two succulent xerophytes of the Ordos Plateau (Gobi Desert), Tetraena mongolica maxim and Zygophyllum xanthoxylum (Bunge) Engl. Environmental and Experimental Botany 177, doi.org/10.1016.
Yang X, Feng T, Li S, Zhao H, Zhao S, Ma C, Jenks MA, Lü S 2020. CER16 inhibits post-transcriptional gene silencing of CER3 to regulate alkane biosynthesis. Plant Physiology 182:1211-1221.
Gazave E, Tassone EE, Baseggio M, Cryder M, Byriel K, Oblath E, Lueschow S, Poss D, Hardy C, Wingerson M, Davis JB, Abdel-Haleem H, Grant DM, Hatfield JL, Isbell TA, Vigil MF, Dyer JM, Jenks MA, Brown J, Gore MA, Pauli D 2020. Genome-wide association study identifies acyl-lipid metabolism candidate genes involved in the genetic control of natural variation for seed fatty acid traits in Brassica napus L.. Industrial Crops and Products 145, doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2019.112080.
Ku KM, Chiu YC, Shen C, Jenks MA 2020. Leaf cuticular waxes of lettuce are associated with reduced attachment of the foodborne pathogen Salmonella spp. at harvest and after postharvest storage. LWT - Food Science and Technology 117, doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2019.108657.
Li LM, Liu XL, Kim JC, Jenks MA, Lü S 2019. Diurnal regulation of plant epidermal wax synthesis through antagonistic roles of the transcription factors SPL9 and DEWAX. Plant Cell 31:2711-2733.
Xu Y, Xue K, Tang S, He J, Song B, Zhou M, Zou Y, Zhou Y, Jenks MA 2019. The relationship between cuticular lipids and associated gene expression in above ground organs of Thellungiella salsugineum (Pall.) Al-Shehbaz & Warwick. Plant Science 287 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.110200.
Yang X, Wang Z, Feng T, Li J, Huang L, Yang B, Huayan Zhao H, Jenks MA, Yang P, Lü S 2018. Evolutionarily conserved function of the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) CER2-LIKE family in very long chain fatty acid elongation. Planta 248:705-714.
Tang S, Chen N, Song B, He J, Zhou Y, Jenks MA, Xu X 2019. Compositional and transcriptomic analysis associated with cuticle lipid production on rosette and inflorescence stem leaves in the extremophyte Thellungiella salsuginea. Physiologia Plantarum 165:584-603.
Pauli D, Ziegler G, Ren M, Jenks MA, Hunsaker DJ, Zhang M, Baxter I, Gore MA 2018. Multivariate analysis of the cotton seed ionome reveals a shared genetic architecture. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics https://doi.org/10.1534/g3.117.300479.
Weaver JM, Lohrey GT, Tomasi P, Dyer JM, Jenks MA, Feldmann KA 2018. Cuticular wax variants in a population of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Industrial Crops and Products 117:310-316.
Yang X, Zhao H, Kosma DK, Tomasi P, Dyer JM, Li R, Liu X, Jenks MA, Lü S 2017. The acyl desaturase CER17 is involved in producing wax unsaturated primary alcohols and cutin monomers. Plant Physiology 173:1109-1124.
Popovsky-Sarid S, Borovsky Y, Faigenboim A, Parsons EP, Lohrey GT, Alkalai-Tuvia S, Fallik E, Jenks MA, Paran I 2017. Genetic and biochemical analysis reveals linked QTLs determining natural variation for post-harvest water loss in pepper (Capsicum) fruit. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 130:445-459.
Mamrutha HM, Nataraja KN, Rama N, Kosma DK, Mogili T, Jhansi Lakshmi K, Udaya Kumar M, Jenks MA 2017. Leaf surface wax composition of genetically diverse mulberry (Morus sp.) genotypes and its close association with expression of genes involved in wax metabolism. Current Science 112:759-766.
Tomasi P John M. Dyer JM, Jenks MA, Abdel-Haleem H 2017. Characterization of leaf cuticular wax classes and constituents in a spring Camelina sativa diversity panel. Industrial Crops and Products 112:247–251.
Thompson AL, Pauli D, Tomasi P, Yurchenko O, Jenks MA, Dyer JM, Gore MA 2017. Chemical variation for fiber cuticular wax levels in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) evaluated under contrasting irrigation regimes. Industrial Crops and Products 100:153-162.
Tomasi P, Wang H, Lohrey GT, Park S, Dyer JM, Jenks MA, Abdel-Haleem H 2017. Characterization of leaf cuticular waxes and cutin monomers of Camelina sativa and closely-related Camelina species. Industrial Crops and Products 98:130-138.
Ilut DC, Sanchez PL, Coffelt TA, Dyer JM, Jenks MA, Gore MA 2017. A century of guayule: Comprehensive genetic characterization of the guayule (Parthenium argentatum A. Gray) USDA germplasm collection. Industrial Crops and Products 109:300-309.
Xu X, Xiao L, Feng J, Chen N, Chen Y, Song B, Kun X, Shi S, Zhou Y, Jenks MA 2016. Cuticle lipids on heteromorphic leaves of Populus euphratica Oliv. growing in riparian habitats differing in available soil moisture. Physiologia Plantarum 3:318-330.
Tassone EE, Lipka AE, Tomasi P, Lohrey GT, Qian W, Dyer JM, Gore MA, Jenks MA 2016. Chemical variation for leaf cuticular waxes and their levels revealed in a diverse panel of Brassica napus L. Industrial Crops and Products 79:77-83.
Gazave E, Tassone EE, Ilut DC, Wingerson M, Davis JB, Grant D, Dyer JM, Jenks MA, Brown J, Gore MA 2016. Population genomic analysis reveals differential evolutionary histories and patterns of diversity across subgenomes and subpopulations of Brassica napus L. Frontiers in Plant Science 7:525-540.
Ilut DC, Sanchez PL, Costich DE, Friebe B, Coffelt TA, Dyer JM, Jenks MA, Gore MA 2015. Genomic diversity and phylogenetic relationships in the genus Parthenium (Asteraceae). Industrial Crops and Products 76:920-929.
Zhao H, Zhang HM, Cui P, Ding F, Wang G, Li R, Jenks MA, Lu S, Xiong L. 2014. The putative E3-ubiquitin ligase ECERIFERUM9 regulates abscisic acid biosynthesis and response during seed germination and post-germination growth in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 165:1255-1268.
Xu X, Feng J, Lü S, An H, Zhou Y, Jenks MA 2014. Leaf cuticular lipids on the Shandong and Yukon ecotypes of saltwater cress, Eutrema salsugineum, and their response to water deficiency and impact on cuticle permeability. Physiologia Plantarum 151:446-458.
Zhou X, Jenks MA, Feng J, Liu A, Zhang X, Zou J, Liu J, Xiang J, Peng Y, Chen X 2014. Overexpression of transcription factor OsWR2 regulates wax and cutin biosynthesis in rice and enhances its tolerance to water deficit. Plant Molecular Biology Reporter 32:719-731.
Yurchenko OP, Park S, Ilut DC, Inmon JJ, Milhollon JC, Liechty Z, Page JT, Jenks MA, Chapman KD, Udall JA, Gore MA, Dyer JM  2014. Genome-wide analysis of the omega-3 fatty acid desaturase gene family in Gossypium.  BMC Plant Biology 14:312-327.
Sanchez PL, Chen MK, Pessarakli M, Hill H, Gore MA, Jenks MA 2014. Effects of temperature and salinity on germination of raw and pelleted guayule (Parthenium argentatum A. Gray) seeds. Industrial Crops and Products 55:90-96.
Sanchez PL, Costich DE, Friebe B, Coffelt TA, Jenks MA, Gore MA 2014. Genome size variation in guayule and mariola: Fundamental descriptors for polyploid plant taxa. Industrial Crops and Products 54:1-5.
Parsons EP, Popopvsky S, Lohrey GT, Lü S, Alkalai-Tuvia S, Perzelan Y, Bosland P, Bebeli PJ, Paran I, Fallik E., Jenks MA 2013. Fruit cuticle lipid composition and water loss in a diverse collection of pepper (Capsicum). Physiologia Plantarum 149:160-174.
Lü S, Zhao H, Des Marais DL, Parsons EP, Wen X, Xu X, Bangarusamy DK, Wang G, Rowland O, Juenger T, Bressan RA, Jenks MA 2012. Arabidopsis ECERIFERUM9 involvement in cuticle formation and maintenance of plant water status. Plant Physiology 159:930-944.
Parsons EP, Popopvsky S, Lohrey GT, Lü S, Alkalai-Tuviab S, Perzelanb Y, Paran I, Fallik E, Jenks MA 2012. Fruit cuticle lipid composition and fruit postharvest water-loss in an advanced backcross generation of pepper (Capsicum sp.). Physiologia Plantarum 146:15-25.
White JW, Andrade-Sanchez P, Gore MA, Bronson KF, Coffelt TA, Conley MM, Feldmann KA, French AN Heun JT, Hunsaker DJ, Jenks MA, Kimball BA, Roth RL, Strand RJ, Thorp KR, Wall GW, Wang G 2012. Field-based phenomics for plant genetics research. Field Crops Research 133:101-112.
Lü S, Zhao H, Parsons EP, Xu C, Kosma DK, Xu X, Chao D, Lohrey GT, Bangarusamy DK, Wang G, Bressan RA, Jenks MA 2011. The glossyhead1 (gsd1) allele of ACC1 reveals a principal role for multi-domain Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase in the biosynthesis of cuticular waxes by Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Physiology 157:1079-1092.
Qayyum A, Razzaq A, Ahmad M, Jenks MA 2011. Water stress causes differential effects on germination indices, total soluble sugar and proline content in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes. African Journal of Biotechnology 10:14038-14045.
Mamrutha HM, Mogili T, Jhansi Lakshmi K, Rama N, Kosma DK, Udaya Kumar M, Jenks MA, Nataraja KN 2010. Involvement of leaf cuticular wax amount and crystal morphology in regulating post harvest water loss in mulberry (Morus species). Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 48:690-696.
Kosma DK, Nemacheck JA, Jenks MA, Williams CE 2010. Changes in properties of wheat leaf cuticle during interactions with Hessian fly. Plant Journal 63:31-43.
Kosma DK, Bourdenx B, Bernard A, Parsons EP, Lü S, Joubès J, Jenks MA 2009. The impact of water deficiency on leaf cuticle lipids of Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 151:1918-1929.
Mang HG, Laluk KA, Parsons EP, Kosma DK, Cooper BR, Park HC, AbuQamar S, Boccongelli C, Chilosi G, Bressan RA, Mengiste T, Jenks MA 2009. The Arabidopsis RESURRECTION1 gene regulates a novel antagonistic interaction in plant defense to biotrophs and necrotrophs. Plant Physiology 151:290-305
Lü S, Song T, Kosma DK, Parson EP, Rowland O, Jenks, MA 2009. Arabidopsis CER8 encodes Long-Chain Acyl CoA Synthetase 1 (LACS1) that has overlapping functions with LACS2 in plant wax and cutin synthesis. Plant Journal 59:553-564.
Isaacson T, Kosma DK, Matas AJ, Buda GJ, He Y, Yu B, Pravitasari A, Batteas JD, Stark RE, Jenks MA, Rose JKC 2009. Cutin deficiency in the tomato fruit cuticle consistently affects resistance to microbial infection and biomechanical properties, but not transpirational water loss. Plant Journal 60:363-377.
Goodwin SM, Edwards C, Wood KV, Jenks MA 2007. Leaf cutin monomers, cuticular waxes, and blackspot resistance in rose. HortScience 42:1631-1635.
Chen X, Goodwin SM, Liu X, Chen X, Bressan RA, Jenks MA 2005. Mutation of the RESURRECTION1 locus of Arabidopsis reveals an association of cuticular wax with embryo development. Plant Physiology 139:909-919.
Maalekuu K, Elkind Y, Tuvia-Alkalai S, Fallik E, Shalom Y, Jenks MA, Goodwin SM 2005. Characterization of physiological and biochemical factors associated with postharvest water loss in ripe pepper fruits during storage. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science 130:735-741.
Xiao F, Goodwin SM, Xiao Y, Sun Z, Baker D, Tang X, Jenks MA, Zhou JM 2004. Arabidopsis CYP86A2 negatively regulates Pseudomonas syringae type III genes and is required for cuticle development. EMBO Journal 23:2903-2913.
Inan G, Zhang H, Li P, Wang Z, Cao Z, Zhang C, Quist TM, Goodwin SM, Zhu J, Shi H, Damsz B, Charbaji T, Gong Q, Ma S, Fredricksen M, Galbraith DW, Jenks MA, Rhodes D, Hasegawa PM, Bohnert HJ, Joly RJ, Bressan RA, Zhu JK 2004. Salt cress: A halophyte and cryophyte Arabidopsis relative model system and its applicability to molecular genetic analysis of growth and development of extremophiles. Plant Physiology 135:1718-1737.
Grant RH, Heisler GM, Gao W, Jenks MA 2003. Ultraviolet leaf reflectance of common urban trees and the prediction of reflectance from leaf surface characteristics. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 120:127-139.
Chen X, Goodwin M, Boroff VL, Liu X, Jenks MA 2003. Cloning and characterization of the WAX2 gene of Arabidopsis involved in cuticle membrane and wax production. Plant Cell 15:1170-1185.
Ristic Z, Jenks MA 2002. Leaf cuticle and water loss in maize lines differing in dehydration avoidance. Journal of Plant Physiology 159:645-651.
Teusink RS, Rahman M, Bressan RA, Jenks MA 2002. Cuticular waxes on Arabidopsis thaliana close-relatives Thellungiella halophila and Thellungiella parvula. International Journal of Plant Sciences 163:309-316.
Jenks MA, Anderson L, Teusink R, Williams M 2001. Leaf cuticular waxes of potted rose cultivars as effected by plant development, drought, and paclobutrazol treatments. Physiologia Plantarum 112:62-70.
Bohnert HJ, Ayoubi P, Borchert C, Bressan RA, Burnap RL, Cushman JC, Cushman MA, Deyholos M, Galbraith DW, Hasegawa PM, Jenks MA, Kawasaki S, Koiwa H, Kore-eda S, Lee BH, Michalowski CB, Misawa E, Nomura M, Ozturk N, Postier B, Prade R, Song CP, Tanaka Y, Wang H, Zhu JK 2001. A genomics approach towards salt stress tolerance. Plant Physiology & Biochemistry 39:1-17.

Research Areas

  • Biochemistry and Physiology
  • Environmental and Stress Biology