Simeon Kotchoni, PhD

Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences
Associate Professor-Molecular Physiology and Biochemistry

Phone: (916) 686-7690
Fax: (916) 686-8142
Simeon.Kotchoni@cnsu.edu

About

Dr. Kotchoni is an associate professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences at California Northstate University College of Pharmacy (CNUCOP). Prior to joining CNUCOP, he was an assistant Professor at Rutgers University, Camden, New Jersey (2011-2017). He received his B.S. and MS in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from University of Abomey Calavi, Benin, and another MS in Microbiology from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Bonn, Germany, where he study the role of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase (ALDH) Gene superfamily in a model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. This study has a significant relevance on human cancer gene therapy, with the current use of ALDH gene family as stem cell markers in genetic cancer prediction/screening and treatment. After his Ph.D., Dr. Kotchoni has worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Europe (Bonn, Germany), and USA (West Virginia University and Purdue University), using interdisciplinary research techniques, including molecular genetics, cell biology, proteomics, transcriptomics, plant metabolomics to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of growth development and environmental adaptation of organisms. His recent accomplishment includes the characterization of bioactive compounds from diverse biological systems for drug discovery.

Research Interest

Dr. Kotchoni research interests focus on drug discovery from natural products against human diseases, particularly Type 2 diabetes, cancer, hypertension, anxiety and infectious diseases. His research topics include; Transcriptomics, Metabolomics, Proteomics, Pharmacognosy, Molecular Genetics, Cell Biology, and Molecular Physiology,

Scholarship (Out of 102 publications)

• Missihoun TD, Kotchoni SO., Bartels D. Aldehyde Dehydrogenases Function in the Homeostasis of Pyridine Nucleotides in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nature, Scientific Reports. 2018, 8: 2936. DOI:10.1038/s41598-018-21202-6.
• Missihoun TD, Kotchoni SO. Aldehyde dehydrogenases may modulate signaling by lipid peroxidation-derived bioactive aldehydes. Plant Signaling and Behavior. 2017; 12(11): e1387707.
• Kotchoni SO., Kibiti C., Gachomo B., Jimenez-Lopez J.C., Martin J.V., Emergence of Herbal Medicine as a New Trend in Pharmacological Management of Diabetes Mellitus. In: Recent Progress in Medicinal Plants. 2017; Chapter 9, pp: 171-188.
• Sakirigui A., Gbaguidi F, Kasséhin U.C., Poupaert J., Accrombessi G.C., Kotchoni S.O. Structural and antitrypanosomal data of different carbasones of piperitone. Data in Brief. 2016; 9: 1039-1043.
• Kotchoni SO, Gachomo EW, Slobodenko K, Shain DH. AMP DEAMINASE suppression increases biomass, cold tolerance and oil content in green algae. Algal Research. 2016; 16: 473-480.
• Jimenez-Lopez JC, Lopez-Valverde FJ, Robles-Bolivar P, Lima-Cabello E, Gachomo EW, Kotchoni SO. Genome-wide identification and functional characterization of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) gene superfamily. PLOS ONE. 2016; 11(10): e0164798.
• Missihoun T.D., Kotchoni S.O., Bartels, D. Active site of REDUCED EPIDERMAL FLUORESCENCE 1 (REF1) isoforms contain amino acid substitutions that are different between monocots and dicots. PLOS ONE. 2016; 11(10): e0165867.
• Harikrishnan H, Shanmugaiah V, Nithya K, Balasubramanian N, Sharma MP, Gachomo EW, Kotchoni SO. Enhanced production of phenazine-like metabolite produced by Streptomyces aurantiogriseusVSMGT1014 against rice pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani. Journal of Basic Microbiology. 2015; 55: 1-9.
• Ariyo OA, Dixon AGO, Atiri GI, Gachomo EW, Kotchoni SO. Disease resistance characterization of newly improved cassava genotypes to cassava mosaic disease at different ecozones. Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection. 2015; 48(6): 504-518.
• Kefela T, Gachomo EW, Kotchoni SO. Paenibacillus polymyxa, Bacillus licheniformis and Bradyrhizobium japonicum IRAT FA3 promote faster seed germination rate, growth and diseases resistance under pathogenic pressure. Plant Biochemistry and Physiology. 2015; 3: 1-5.
• Djegui KY, Gachomo EW, Hounhouigan DJ, Kayodé APP, Kotchoni SO. Biochemical characterization and growth patterns of new yeast isolates. Molecular Biology Reports. 2014; 41(8): 5199-206.
• Glinma B, Kpoviessi SD, Gbaguidi FA, Kapanda CN, Bero J, Quetin-Leclercq J, Moudachirou M, Poupaert J, Accrombessi GC, Gachomo EW, Baba-Moussa L, Kotchoni SO. Trypanocidal and cytotoxic evaluation of synthesized thiosemicarbazones as potential drug leads against sleeping sickness. Molecular Biology Reports. 2014; 41(3): 1617-1622.
• Harikrishnan H, Shanmugaiah V, Balasubramanian N, Sharma MP, Kotchoni SO. Antagonistic potential of native strain Streptomyces aurantiogriseus VSMGT1014 against sheath blight of rice disease. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2014; 30: 3149-3161.
• Jimenez-Lopez JC, Wang X, Kotchoni SO, Huang S, Szymanski DB, Staiger CJ., Heterodimeric capping protein from Arabidopsis is membrane-associated, actin-binding protein. Plant Physiology. 2014; 166: 1312-1328.
• Gachomo EW, Jimenez-Lopez JC, Jno Baptiste L, Kotchoni SO. GIGANTUS1 (GTS1), a member of Transducin/WD40 protein superfamily, controls seed germination, growth and biomass accumulation through ribosome-biogenesis protein interactions in Arabidopsis thaliana. BMC Plant Biology. 2014; 14(1): 37.
• Vodounon CA, Abramova ZI, Chabi CB, Kurbanov RA, Reshetnikova DI, Skibo YV, Sezan A, Kotchoni SO, Akpona SA, Baba-Moussa L. Role of the autoantibodies in the pathogenesis of patients with atopic bronchial asthma. Research Journal of Immunology DOI 10.3923/rji.2014.
• Vodounon CA, Chabi CB, Skibo YV, Ezin V, Aikou N, Kotchoni SO, Akpona SA, Baba-Moussa L, Abramova ZI. Influence of the programmed cell death of lymphocytes on the immunity of patients with atopic bronchial asthma. Allergy Asthma and Clinical Immunology. 2014; 10: 14.
• Attien P., Sina H., Moussaoui W. Zimmermann-Meisse G., Dadié T., Keller D., Riegel P., Edoh V., Kotchoni S.O., Djè M., Prévost G., Lamine Baba-Moussa L. Mass Spectrometry and Multiplex Antigen Assays to Assess Microbial Quality and Toxin Production of Staphylococcus aureus Strains Isolated from Clinical and Food Samples. BioMed Research International. 2014; pp 8, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/48562.
• Sina H, Ahoyo TA, Moussaoui W, Keller D, Bankolé HS, Barogui Y, Stienstra Y, Kotchoni SO, Prévost G, Baba-Moussa L. Variability of antibiotic susceptibility and toxin production of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from skin, soft tissue, and bone related infections. BMC Microbiology. 2013; DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-13-188.
• Gbenou J. D., Ahounou J.F., Akakpo H. B., Yayi E., Laleye A., Gbaguidi F., Baba-Moussa L., Darboux R., Dansou P., Moudachirou M., Kotchoni S.O. Phytochemical composition of Cymbopogon citratus and Eucalyptus citriodora essential oils and their anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties on Wistar rats. Molecular Biology Reports. 2013; 40(2): 1127-1134.
• Jimenez-Lopez JC, Kotchoni SO, Hernandez-Soriano MC, Gachomo EW, Alché JD. Structural functionality, catalytic mechanism modeling and molecular allergenicity of phenylcoumaran benzylic ether reductase, an olive pollen (Ole e 12) allergen. Journal of Computational Aided Molecular Design. 2013; 27: 873-895.
• Jimenez-Lopez J.C., Gachomo E.W., Sharma S., Kotchoni S.O. Genetic sequencing and next-generation sequence data analysis: A comprehensive compilation of bioinformatics tools and databases. American Journal of Molecular Biology. 2013; 3: 115-130.
• Zhang C., Mallery E., Reagan S., Boko V.P., Kotchoni S.O., Szymanski D.B., The Endoplasmic Reticulum is a Reservoir for WAVE/SCAR Regulatory Complex Signaling in the Arabidopsis Leaf. Plant Physiology. 2013; 162: 689-706.
• Brocker C., Vasiliou M., Carpenter S., Carpenter C., Zhang Y., Wang X., Kotchoni S.O., Wood A. J., Kirch H-H., Kopečný D., Nebert D. W., Vasiliou V. Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) superfamily in plants: Gene nomenclature and comparative genomics. Planta. 2013; 237(1):189-210.
• Baba-Moussa F., Adjanohoun A., Adéoti K., Gbenou J.D., Aloukoutou D., Kpavodé L., Moudachirou M., Akpagana K., Bouchet P., Kotchoni S.O., Toukourou F., Baba-Moussa L. Antimicrobial properties and phytochemical profiling of essential oils extracted from traditionally used medicinal plants in Benin. International Journal of Natural Product Science. 2012; 2(4):1-11.
• Baba-Moussa F., Adjanohoun A., Attakpa E. S., Kpavodé L., Gbénou J. D., Akpagana K., Kotchoni S.O., Sezan S., Toukourou F., Baba-Moussa L. Antimicrobial activity of three essential oils from Benin on five oral germs: Test of mouth baths. Annals of Biological Research. 2012; 3(11): 5192-5199.
• Jimenez-Lopez J.C., Gachomo E.W., Ariyo O.A., Baba-Moussa L., Kotchoni S.O. Specific conformational epitope features of pathogenesis-related proteins mediating cross-reactivity between pollen and food allergens. Molecular Biology Reports. 2012; 39(1): 123-130.
• Jimenez-Lopez J.C., Kotchoni S.O., Rodríguez-García M.I., Alché J.D. Structure and functional features of olive pollen pectin methylesterase using homology modeling and molecular docking methods. Journal of Molecular Modeling 2012; 18(12): 4965-4984.
• Gachomo E.W., Jimenez-Lopez J.C., Kayodé A.P.P., Baba-Moussa L., Kotchoni S.O. Structural characterization of plant defensin protein superfamily. Molecular Biology Reports. 2012; 39(4): 4461-4469.
• Vodounon A.C., Skibo Y., Aikou N., Abramova Z.I., Kotchoni S.O., Baba-Moussa L. Morphological and biochemical characteristics of apoptosis lymphocytes of peripheral blood in the pathogenesis of atopic bronchial asthma of light and serious severity. Research and Reviews in BioSciences 2012; 6(8): 210-220.
• Ckibo Y.V., Vodounon A.C., Морозов M.B., Koub Bocco S.M., Sina H., Kurmaeva N., Tsibulkina V.N., Kotchoni S.O., Baba-Moussa L., Abramova Z.I. Adhesion force of T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of patients with light and sever bronchial and atopic asthma. International Journal of Biological and Medical Research. 2012; 3(3): 2138-2146.
• Jimenez-Lopez J.C., Kotchoni S.O., Rodríguez-García M.I., Alché J.D. Structure and functional features of olive pollen pectin methylesterase using homology modeling and molecular docking methods. Journal of Molecular Modeling. 2012; 18(12): 4965-4984
• Jimenez-Lopez J.C., Gachomo E.W., Ariyo O.A., Baba-Moussa L. and Kotchoni S.O. Specific conformational epitope features of pathogenesis-related proteins mediating cross-reactivity between pollen and food allergens. Molecular Biology Reports. 2012; 39(1): 123-130.
• Kotchoni S.O., Jimenez-Lopez J.C., Kayodé A.P.P., Gachomo E.W., Baba-Moussa L. The soybean aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) protein superfamily. Gene. 2012; 495: 128-133.
• Baba-Moussa L., Sina H., Scheftel J.M., Moreau B., Sainte-Marie D., Kotchoni S.O., Prévost G., Couppié P. Staphylococcal Panton-Valentine leucocidin as a major virulence factor associated to furuncles. PLoS One. 2011; 6(10): e25716.
• Stiti N., Missihoun T.D., Kotchoni S.O., Kirch H.-H., Dorothea Bartels D. Aldehyde dehydrogenases in Arabidopsis thaliana: Biochemical requirements, metabolic pathways and functional analysis. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2011; 65(2): 5-11.
• Kotchoni S.O., Jimenez-Lopez J.C., Gachomo E.W. Seufferheld M.J., A new and unified nomenclature for male fertility restorer (RF) proteins in higher plants. PLOS ONE. 2010; 5(12): e15906.
• Kotchoni S.O., Jimenez-Lopez J.C., Gao D., Edwards V., Gachomo E.W., Margam V. M. and Seufferheld M. J., Modeling-dependent protein characterization of the rice aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) superfamily reveals distinct functional and structural features. PLOS ONE. 2010; 5(7): e11516.
• Jimenez-Lopez J.C., Gachomo E.W., Seufferheld M.J., Kotchoni S.O. The maize ALDH protein superfamily: linking structural features to functional specificities. BMC Structural Biology. 2010; 10: 43; DOI: 10.1186/1472-6807-10-43.
• Zhang C., Kotchoni S.O., Samuels L., Szymanski D.B., SPIKE1 signals originate from and assemble specialized domains of the endoplasmic reticulum. Current Biology. 2010; 20(23): 2144-2149.
• Gachomo E.W. Seufferheld M.J., Kotchoni S.O. Melanization of appressoria is critical for the pathogenicity of Diplocarpon rosae. Molecular Biology Reports. 2010; 37(7): 3583-3591.
• Gachomo E.W., Kotchoni S.O. Microscopic and biochemical evidence of differentially virulent field isolates of Diplocarpon rosae causing black spot disease of roses. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry. 2010; 48: 167-175.
• Kotchoni S.O., Zakharova T., Mallery E.L., El-Din El-Assal S., Le J., Szymanski D.B., The association of the Arabidopsis actin-related protein (ARP) 2/3 complex with cell membranes is linked to its assembly status, but not to its activation. Plant Physiology. 2009; 151(4): 2095-2109.
• Gachomo E.W., Kotchoni S.O. Detailed description of developmental growth stages of Diplocarpon rosae in Rosa: a building block for an efficient disease management. Annals of Applied Biology. 2007; 151(2): 233-243. *This manuscript was featured on the cover of the Annals of Applied Biology 151 (2), October 2007 issue.
• Kotchoni S.O., Torimiro N., Gachomo E.W., Control of Xanthomonas campestris pv vignicola in cowpea following seed and seedling treatment with hydrogen peroxide and N-heterocyclic pyridinium chlorochromate. Journal of Plant Pathology. 2007; 89(3): 361-367.
• Kotchoni S.O., Kuhns C., Ditzer A., Kirch H-H., Bartels D. Over-expression of different aldehyde dehydrogenase genes in Arabidopsis thaliana confers tolerance to abiotic stress and protects plants against lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. Plant Cell & Environment. 2006; 29(6): 1033-1048.
• Kotchoni S.O., Gachomo E.W. The reactive oxygen species network pathways: an essential prerequisite for perception of pathogen attack and disease resistance in plants. Journal of Biosciences. 2006; 31(3): 389-404.
• Kirch H-H., Schlingensiepen S., Kotchoni S. O., Ramanjulu S. and Bartels D., Detailed expression analysis of selected genes of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) gene superfamily in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Molecular Biology. 2005; 57(3): 315-332.
• Kotchoni S.O., Shonukan O.O. Regulatory mutations affecting the synthesis of cellulase in Bacillus pumilus. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2002; 18: 487-491.

Accomplishments and Awards

• NSF-REU DBI # 1263163 (renew Grant). 2016-2018.
• NSF-REU DBI # 1263163. 2013-2016.
• Rutgers-Rowan Joint Board Grant. 2015-2017.
• Burroughs Welcome Fund (BWF) Grant. 2015-2016.
• GAIA Grant. 2014-2016.
• Raman, University Grand Commission Grant. 2014-2015.
• German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Research Grant. 2000-2004.