Current Projects

Organization of interphase chromosomes and transcription

We are investigating the organization of interphase chromosome territories, how transcription is related to and regulated by this organization. For these studies we are using wheat, because of its large nuclei, relatively good cytology and importance as a crop plant, and Arabidopsis because of its excellent genetic and genomic resources.

Organization of the nucleolus

In a collaborative project with John Brown (Scottish Crop Research Institute and University of Dundee) we are analysing the nucleolar proteome and 'RNA'ome. This has indicated that the nucleolus is involved in more functions than ribosome biogenesis, including mRNA surveillance and nonsense mediated degradation.

Database available at: http://bioinf.scri.sari.ac.uk/cgi-bin/atnopdb/home

Nuclear Cajal bodies

Cajal bodies (formerly called coiled bodies) are sub-nuclear organelles present in both plants and animals. They are involved in small nuclear and nucleolar RNA metabolism and probably also have other functions. Using GFP, we have shown that they are mobile, dynamic structures within plant cells. In collaboration with Liam Dolan (Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford) , we are taking a genetic approach to defining their function and assembly in Arabidopsis.

Homologue pairing in meiosis

In an ongoing collaborative project with Graham Moore's group (JIC, Crop Genetics) we are investigating the mechanism of meiotic homologue recognition and pairing in wheat and other plants. An important focus in wheat is the analysis of the mechanism of the Ph1 locus, which controls specificity of homologue pairing in wheat, and which involves centromere behaviour.