A multidisciplinary research laboratory studying fundamental processes that impact gene expression in plants from a genome-wide perspective while providing hands-on research training for undergraduate and graduate students.
RNA Processing
Alternative Splicing
Helitrons
Maize Genomics
Research focus
Plant molecular genetics at genome scale
Research
Genome-wide approaches to plant gene expression
Mechanism and Regulation of Pre-mRNA Processing in Plants
Our laboratory studies the mechanism governing pre-mRNA processing in plants. Unlike vertebrates, this process required for the expression of eukaryotic genes is poorly understood in plants due to the lack of in vitro splicing assays. Alternative splicing, where genes encode multiple transcript isoforms through different splice-site choices, is increasingly recognized as important in plant development and responses to environmental cues.
The lab uses computational and experimental approaches to study expression profiles of serine/arginine-rich SR proteins in maize and other plant species. Several isoforms of maize and sorghum SR mRNAs show evolutionary conservation of splicing events with homologous SR genes in Arabidopsis and moss. Current work includes molecular, biochemical, and genetic approaches to understand SR gene function during seed development.
Molecular and Genetic Characterization of Helitrons
Helitrons are a highly abundant and novel family of transposable elements. Transposable elements are mobile genetic entities that move and insert into different regions of the genome, contributing significantly to genome evolution and expansion.
The Lal Lab reported maize mutants caused by recent Helitron insertion, providing genetic evidence that Helitrons are active in the modern maize genome. The lab studies how Helitrons transpose, capture gene fragments, create chimeric transcripts, and potentially drive the evolution of new genes in maize.
Genetic analysis of human RNA binding motif protein 48 (RBM48) reveals an essential role in U12-type intron splicing
Amy E. Siebert, Jacob Corll**, J. Paige Gronevelt**, Laurel Levine*, Linzi M. Hobbs, Catalina Kenney*, Ruth Davenport, A. Mark Settles, W. Brad Barbazuk, Randal J. Westrick, Gerard J. Madlambayan, and Shailesh Lal
Genetics
Link available
2019
RNA binding motif protein48 is required for U12 splicing and maize endosperm differentiation
Fang Bai, Jacob Corll**, Donya N. Shodja**, Ruth Davenport, Guanqiao Feng, Janaki Mudunkothgea, Christian J. Brigolin**, Federico Martin, Gertraud Spielbauer, Chi-Wah Tseung, Amy E. Siebert**, W. Brad Barbazuk, Shailesh Lal, and A. Mark Settles
Plant Cell
Abstract available
2015
Differential pre-mRNA splicing alters the transcript diversity of helitrons between the maize inbred lines
Lynch BT**, Patrick TL*, Moreno JJ*, Siebert AE**, Klusman KM*, Shodja DN**, Hannah CL, and SK Lal
G3: Genes|Genome|Genetics
Abstract available
2013
Discovery and expression analysis of alternative splicing events conserved among plant SR proteins
Rauch HB**, Patrick TL*, Klusman KM*, Battistuzzi FU, Mei W, Brendel VP, and SK Lal
Mol. Biol. Evol.
Abstract available
2012
Gene capture by Helitron transposons reshuffles the maize transcriptome
Barbaglia AM**, Klusman KM*, Higgins J*, Hannah, Shaw J, and SK Lal
