Speaker: Dr.Blake C. Meyers

Time: 10:00-12:00 am, Februray 22 (Wednesday), 2023, GMT+8

Venue: koushare platform or scan the QR code


Abstract:

In plants, 21 or 22-nt miRNAs or siRNAs typically negatively regulate target genes through mRNA cleavage or translational inhibition. Heterochromatic or Pol IV are 24-nt and function to maintain heterochromatin and silence transposons. Phased “secondary” siRNAs (phasiRNAs) are generated from mRNAs targeted by a typically 22-nt “trigger” miRNA, and are produced as either 21- or 24-mers via distinct pathways. Our prior work in maize and rice demonstrated the temporal and spatial distribution of two sets of “reproductive phasiRNAs”, which are extraordinarily enriched in the male germline of the grasses. These two sets are the 21-nt (pre-meiotic) and 24-nt (meiotic) siRNAs. Both classes are produced from long, non-coding RNAs, generated by hundreds to thousands of loci, depending on the species.  These phased siRNAs show striking similarity to mammalian piRNAs in terms of their abundance, distribution, distinctive staging, and timing of accumulation, but they have independent evolutionary origins. The functions for these small RNAs in plants remain poorly characterized. I will describe our recent work investigating the functions of plant phasiRNAs and their roles in modulating traits of agronomic importance in plants, including male fertility, as well as novel applications of phasiRNAs such as those generated from transplastomic plants.

Biography:

Dr.Blake C. Meyers is a world-renowned plant scientist, and a member and principal investigator at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center. He also serves as a professor in the Division of Plant Sciences & Technology at the University of Missouri. In 2022, he was elected to the US National Academy of Sciences, and he currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of The Plant Cell. Dr. Meyers is a highly cited researcher, appearing multiple times on the ISI/Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher list, which represents the top 1% of most-cited researchers. His total citations have exceeded 35,800 (h-index 89).

Source: School of Modern Agriculture