A5022888501- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Chromosomal and Genetic Variations
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism
- Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
- Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Cancer-related gene regulation
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Plant Gene Expression Analysis
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Plant responses to water stress
- Soybean genetics and cultivation
- Plant tissue culture and regeneration
- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Cassava research and cyanide
- Pluripotent Stem Cells Research
- Plant Genetic and Mutation Studies
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- DNA Repair Mechanisms
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
University of California, Los Angeles
2016-2025
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
2016-2025
Broad Center
2015-2024
University of Cambridge
2023
Los Angeles City College
2023
Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology
2003-2021
University of California, Berkeley
2003-2020
ORCID
2020
John Wiley & Sons (United States)
2015-2019
Charles River Laboratories (Netherlands)
2015-2019
Multicellular eukaryotes produce small RNA molecules (approximately 21-24 nucleotides) of two general types, microRNA (miRNA) and short interfering (siRNA). They collectively function as sequence-specific guides to silence or regulate genes, transposons, viruses modify chromatin genome structure. Formation activity RNAs requires factors belonging gene families that encode DICER (or DICER-LIKE [DCL]) ARGONAUTE proteins and, in the case some siRNAs, RNA-dependent polymerase (RDR) proteins....
Epigenetic inheritance in mammals relies part on robust propagation of DNA methylation patterns throughout development. We show that the protein UHRF1 (ubiquitin-like, containing PHD and RING finger domains 1), also known as NP95 mouse ICBP90 human, is required for maintaining methylation. colocalizes with maintenance methyltransferase DNMT1 S phase. appears to tether chromatin through its direct interaction DNMT1. Furthermore contains a methyl binding domain, SRA (SET associated) shows...
Cytosine DNA methylation is a heritable epigenetic mark present in many eukaryotic organisms. Although likely has conserved role gene silencing, the levels and patterns of appear to vary drastically among different Here we used shotgun genomic bisulfite sequencing (BS-Seq) compare eight diverse plant animal genomes. We found that are very similar flowering plants with methylated cytosines detected all sequence contexts, whereas CG predominates animals. Vertebrates have throughout genome...
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are approximately 21 nucleotide noncoding RNAs produced by Dicer-catalyzed excision from stem-loop precursors. Many plant miRNAs play critical roles in development, nutrient homeostasis, abiotic stress responses, and pathogen responses via interactions with specific target mRNAs. not the only Dicer-derived small plants: A substantial amount of total RNA abundance an overwhelming sequence diversity is contributed distinct classes 21- to 24-nucleotide short interfering RNAs....
The sequence and the structure of DNA methyltransferase-2 (Dnmt2) bear close affinities to authentic cytosine methyltransferases. A combined genetic biochemical approach revealed that human DNMT2 did not methylate but instead methylated a small RNA; mass spectrometry showed this RNA is aspartic acid transfer (tRNA(Asp)) specifically 38 in anticodon loop. function highly conserved, protein restored methylation vitro tRNA(Asp) from Dnmt2-deficient strains mouse, Arabidopsis thaliana,...
Proteins of the ARGONAUTE family are important in diverse posttranscriptional RNA-mediated gene-silencing systems as well transcriptional gene silencing Drosophila and fission yeast programmed DNA elimination Tetrahymena . We cloned ARGONAUTE4 ( AGO4 ) from a screen for mutants that suppress Arabidopsis SUPERMAN SUP gene. The ago4-1 mutant reactivated silent alleles decreased CpNpG asymmetric methylation histone H3 lysine-9 methylation. In addition, blocked accumulation 25-nucleotide small...
Small interfering RNA (siRNA) and microRNA silence genes at the transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and/or translational level. Using human tissue culture cells, we show that promoter-directed siRNA inhibits transcription of an integrated, proviral, elongation factor 1alpha (EF1A) promoter-green fluorescent protein reporter gene endogenous EF1A. Silencing was associated with DNA methylation targeted sequence, it required either active transport into nucleus or permeabilization nuclear...
Epigenetic silenced alleles of the Arabidopsis SUPERMAN locus (the clark kent alleles) are associated with dense hypermethylation at noncanonical cytosines (CpXpG and asymmetric sites, where X = A, T, C, or G). A genetic screen for suppressors a hypermethylated mutant identified nine loss-of-function CHROMOMETHYLASE3 ( CMT3 ), novel cytosine methyltransferase homolog. These cmt3 mutants display wild-type morphology but exhibit decreased CpXpG methylation SUP gene other sequences throughout...
Trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27me3) plays critical roles in regulating animal development, and several cases, H3K27me3 is also required for the proper expression developmentally important genes plants. However, extent to which regulates plant on a genome-wide scale remains unknown. In addition, it not clear whether establishment spreading occur through same mechanisms plants animals. We identified regions containing genome flowering Arabidopsis thaliana using high-density...
Cytosine DNA methylation silences harmful DNAs such as transposons and retroviruses ([ 1 ][1]). Maintenance methyltransferases propagate pre-existing in the CG sequence context by methylating hemi-methylated sites after replication. Much less is understood about how invasive