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SUMMARY:Abundant phased siRNAs in plant reproductive organs - Blake Meyers
 \, Donald Danforth Centre
DTSTART:20170316T130000Z
DTEND:20170316T140000Z
UID:TALK70123@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:38889
DESCRIPTION:My lab's work focused on small RNAs in plants\; most recently\
 , we've been investigating the biogenesis\, roles\, and evolutionary diver
 sification of pathways that give rise to "secondary" small interfering RNA
 s (siRNAs)\, more specifically\, those triggered by microRNAs and generate
 d in an unusual "phased" pattern. In 2015\, we published work from maize i
 n which we demonstrated the temporal and spatial distribution of two sets 
 of these "phasiRNAs"\; we showed that they are extraordinarily enriched in
  the male germline of the grasses. These comprise the 21-nt (pre-meiotic) 
 and 24-nt (meiotic) siRNAs.  These phased siRNAs show striking similarity 
 to mammalian "piRNAs" in terms of their abundance\, distribution\, distinc
 t stage\, and timing of accumulation\, but have independent evolutionary o
 rigins. Interestingly\, the functions for these small RNAs in both plants 
 and animals remain poorly characterized.  To better understand these small
  RNAs\, including their evolutionary origins\, we are investigating the pr
 esence of reproductive phasiRNA pathways in monocots that are relatively d
 ivergent from the grasses. I will describe our ongoing analyses of small R
 NAs\, particularly these reproductive phasiRNAs. 
LOCATION:Department of Plant Sciences\, Large Lecture Theatre
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