Rodolfo Aramayo

Research Interests

Genetics, Epigenetics and Meiotic RNA Silencing

Dr. Aramayo’s laboratory is centered on understanding the function(s) of RNAs, especially non-coding RNAs in all aspects of Biology. While the initial work was based on studying Meiotic Silencing in Neurospora, it became immediately clear that the RNA silencing mechanism invoked by this very unusual genetic phenomenon had been adapted and evolved to fulfill key highly-related roles in all eukaryotic cells. The complexity of the problem demanded the use of the most sophisticated molecular tools, especially Next Generation DNA Sequencing and the manipulation of the emerging information. In the process of mastering these computational tools and techniques, the Aramayo lab branched into studying the Computational Genomics aspect of these problems. The expertise thus generated could clearly be applied to all organisms and/or other systems. The Aramayo laboratory thus established active collaborations with researchers studying the biology of RNAs in Neurobiology, Muscular Distrophy and Cell Cycle. The computational expertise of this laboratory has also generated an active collaboration with Materials Sciences. The wet-lab aspect of this laboratory is still centered on understanding Meiotic Silencing, one of the most amazing and intriguing mechanisms observed in meiotic cells of eukaryotic organisms. If a segment of DNA is not present on the opposite homologous chromosome in meiosis in Neurospora, the resulting “unpaired” DNA segment is targeted for silencing. This situation occurs when a DNA element gets inserted at a particular chromosomal position (e.g., a situation akin to the “invasion” of a genome by transposable DNA elements). It can also occur when a normal region gets deleted. In both situations, the resulting loop of “unpaired” DNA activates a genome-wide “alert” system that results in the silencing not only of the genes present in the “unpaired” DNA segment, but also of those same genes if present elsewhere in the genome, even if they are in the paired condition. Although meiotic silencing and was originally described in Neurospora crassa, it has since been observed in nematodes and mammals. In all these organisms, “unpaired or unsynapsed” regions (or chromosomes) are targeted for gene silencing. The working hypothesis is that meiotic silencing is a two-step process. First meiotic trans-sensing compares the chromosomes from each parent and identifies significant differences as unpaired DNA. Second, if unpaired DNA is identified, a process called meiotic silencing silences expression of genes within the unpaired region and regions sharing sequence identity. The lab is using a combination of genetics, molecular biology and biochemistry aimed at identifying all the molecular players of the process and at understanding how they work together. The long term objective of our work is to understand meiotic silencing in Neurospora and to map its connections with the meiotic silencing observed in other organisms.

Laboratory Details

Laboratory Address:
Biological Sciences Building West
Room 415
979-862-4376