Charles Anderson

Chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Plant Biology; Co-Director, Center for Biorenewables; Professor of Biology

Charles Anderson

Research Summary

In vivo imaging of plant cell wall dynamics. Molecular genetic analysis of genes involved in cell growth. Cell wall biosynthesis in dividing cells. Cell wall engineering for sustainable bioenergy production.

Huck Graduate Students

Huck Affiliations

Most Recent Publications

Gelatinous fibers develop asymmetrically to support bends and coils in common bean vines (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Joyce G. Onyenedum, Mariane S. Sousa-Baena, Lena M. Hunt, Angelique A. Acevedo, Rosemary A.E. Glos, Charles T. Anderson, 2025, American Journal of Botany

Nonindustrial pretreatment and enzymes can yield sufficient calories from lignocellulosic biomass for human survival

Niroshan Siva, Charles T. Anderson, 2024, Food Science and Nutrition on p. 7512-7520

Architecture and functions of stomatal cell walls in eudicots and grasses

Leila Jaafar, Charles T. Anderson, 2024, Annals of Botany on p. 195-204

Young guard cells function dynamically despite low mechanical anisotropy but gain efficiency during stomatal maturation in Arabidopsis thaliana

Leila Jaafar, Yintong Chen, Sedighe Keynia, Joseph A. Turner, Charles T. Anderson, 2024, Plant Journal on p. 1719-1731

Altering the substitution and cross-linking of glucuronoarabinoxylans affects cell wall architecture in Brachypodium distachyon

Theodora Tryfona, Yanina Pankratova, Deborah Petrik, Diego Rebaque Moran, Raymond Wightman, Xiaolan Yu, Alberto Echevarría-Poza, Parveen Kumar Deralia, Francisco Vilaplana, Charles T. Anderson, Mei Hong, Paul Dupree, 2024, New Phytologist on p. 524-543

A core of cell wall proteins functions in wall integrity responses in Arabidopsis thaliana

Oyeyemi Ajayi, Ellen Zelinsky, Charles T. Anderson, 2024, Plant Direct

Xylan inhibition of cellulase binding and processivity observed at single-molecule resolution

Nerya Zexer, Alec Paradiso, Daguan Nong, Zachary K. Haviland, William O. Hancock, Charles T. Anderson, 2024, RSC Sustainability on p. 1118-1127

Single-molecule tracking reveals dual front door/back door inhibition of Cel7A cellulase by its product cellobiose

D Nong, Zachary Haviland, Nerya Zexer, Sarah Pfaff, Daniel Cosgrove, M Tien, Charles Anderson, William O. Hancock, 2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on p. e2322567121

Lignin impairs Cel7A degradation of in vitro lignified cellulose by impeding enzyme movement and not by acting as a sink

Zachary Haviland, D Nong, Nerya Zexer, M Tien, Charles Anderson, William O. Hancock, 2024, Biotechnology for Biofuels and Bioproducts on p. 7

NST3 induces ectopic transdifferentiation, forming secondary walls with diverse patterns and composition in Arabidopsis thaliana

Chetana Tamadaddi, Juseok Choi, Masoud Ghasemi, S Kim, E Gomez, Esther Gomez, Charles Anderson, 2024, Annals of Botany on p. 1097--1111

Most-Cited Papers

Dynamic Construction, Perception, and Remodeling of Plant Cell Walls

Charles T. Anderson, Joseph J. Kieber, 2020, Annual Review of Plant Physiology and Plant Molecular Biology on p. 39-69

Xyloglucan deficiency disrupts microtubule stability and cellulose biosynthesis in arabidopsis, altering cell growth and morphogenesis<sup>1[OPEN]</sup>

Chaowen Xiao, Tian Zhang, Yunzhen Zheng, Daniel J. Cosgrove, Charles T. Anderson, 2016, Plant Physiology on p. 234-249

Dynamics of pectic homogalacturonan in cellular morphogenesis and adhesion, wall integrity sensing and plant development

Juan Du, Charles T. Anderson, Chaowen Xiao, 2022, Nature Plants on p. 332-340

POLYGALACTURONASE INVOLVED IN EXPANSION3 functions in seedling development, rosette growth, and stomatal dynamics in Arabidopsis thaliana

Yue Rui, Chaowen Xiao, Hojae Yi, Baris Kandemir, James Z. Wang, Virendra M. Puri, Charles T. Anderson, 2017, Plant Cell on p. 2413-2432

We be jammin': An update on pectin biosynthesis, trafficking and dynamics

Charles T. Anderson, 2016, Journal of Experimental Botany on p. 495-502

Release, Recycle, Rebuild: Cell-Wall Remodeling, Autodegradation, and Sugar Salvage for New Wall Biosynthesis during Plant Development

William J. Barnes, Charles T. Anderson, 2018, Molecular Plant on p. 31-46

Arabidopsis pavement cell morphogenesis requires FERONIA binding to pectin for activation of ROP GTPase signaling

Wenwei Lin, Wenxin Tang, Xue Pan, Aobo Huang, Xiuqin Gao, Charles T. Anderson, Zhenbiao Yang, 2022, Current Biology on p. 497-507.e4

Mutations in the Pectin Methyltransferase QUASIMODO2 influence cellulose biosynthesis and wall integrity in arabidopsis

J Du, Alex Kirui, Shixin Huang, Lianglei Wang, William Barnes, S Kiemle, Yunzhen Zheng, Yue Rui, Mei Ruan, Shiqian Qi, Seong Kim, others, Tuo Wang, Daniel J. Cosgrove, Charles Anderson, Chaowen Xiao, 2020, Plant Cell on p. 3576--3597

The fragile fiber1 kinesin contributes to cortical microtubule-mediated trafficking of cell wall components

Chuanmei Zhu, Anindya Ganguly, Tobias I. Baskin, Daniel D. McClosky, Charles T. Anderson, Cliff Foster, Kristoffer A. Meunier, Ruth Okamoto, Howard Berg, Ram Dixit, 2015, Plant Physiology on p. 780-792

Stomata-mediated interactions between plants, herbivores, and the environment

Po-An Lin, Yintong Chen, Gabriela Ponce, Flor Acevedo, Jonathan P. Lynch, Charles Anderson, Jared G. Ali, Gary W. Felton, 2021, Trends in Plant Science on p. 287-300

News Articles Featuring Charles Anderson

Sep 12, 2024

Nine researchers named Institute of Energy and the Environment Fellows

Nine Penn State researchers have been named fellows of the Institute of Energy and the Environment (IEE) for 2024. The program recognizes and assists the exceptional achievements and unparalleled research impacts of highly successful researchers in the areas of energy and the environment. Nominees for the fellowship were submitted by the University community.

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May 07, 2024

Why is breaking down plant material for biofuels so slow?

Breaking down cellulose for biofuel is slow and inefficient but could avoid concerns around using a food source while taking advantage of abundant plant materials that might otherwise go to waste. New research led by Penn State investigators has revealed how several molecular roadblocks slow this process.

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Jan 29, 2024

Fungi into the future

Penn State researchers have aided the state’s important mushroom industry for nearly 100 years, and they’re still going strong. But mushrooms aren’t just for eating anymore

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Jun 12, 2023

Penn State announces tenure-line faculty promotions, effective July 1, 2023

The following is a list of academic promotions for tenured and tenure-line faculty members at Penn State, effective July 1, 2023.

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Dec 09, 2022

Novel 3D imaging model may show path to more water-efficient plants

Changes in Earth’s orbit that favored hotter conditions may have helped trigger a rapid global warming event 56 million years ago that is considered an analogue for modern climate change, according to an international team of scientists.

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Nov 01, 2022

Scientist sees Penn State as a 'living lab' for climate action

With the University working to draw down greenhouse gas emissions and reduce its carbon footprint, plant biologist Charlie Anderson is likewise advancing the cause of a greener, more-sustainable future through research and advocacy.

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Feb 17, 2021

Silencing the alarm

An enzyme in the saliva of certain insects prevents their food plants from warning neighboring plants of an attack.

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Jun 08, 2020

Research team to study food resilience in the face of catastrophic global events

An interdisciplinary team of Penn State professors has received $3 million from Open Philanthropy to study food resilience in the face of potentially catastrophic global events.

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Jul 03, 2019

Cell Dynamics takes center stage at 2019 Plant Biology Symposium

The 22nd Penn State Plant Biology Symposium was "a great success," according to organizers, who joined it with the Plant Cell Dynamics VIII meeting in an effort to encourage wider collaborations.

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Apr 11, 2019

New SCATTIRSTORM microscope could improve bioenergy production

The construction of a new multimodal optical microscope, SCATTIRSTORM, that could enable more efficient bioenergy production, is the focus of a three-year, $1.5 million, U.S. Department of Energy grant awarded to three Penn State researchers.

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