Dr Soledad Perez Santangelo
| Position | Research Fellow |
|---|---|
| Department | Department of Biochemistry |
| Qualifications | PhD |
| Research summary | Plant gene regulation |
Research
Legume crops such as peas, beans, lentils, and lucerne are an essential source of protein for both humans and livestock. Since climate change is altering the geographical range where crop plants can be grown, we need to understand how genetic variations in these plants allow them to grow in different places.
Our laboratory focuses on discovering and studying these genes in the model legume Medicago truncatula, specifically looking at the master regulator - the circadian clock. Our research will help produce legume varieties specifically tailored for local regions and conditions.
Timelapse of leaf growth.
Circadian clock
Medicago truncatula plant
Output data of leaf movement for 2 representative plants
On-Going projects:
Marsden Fast Start Fund:
Adjusting the clock: How naturally occurring variation in circadian clock genes maximises plant growth and fitness in different environments.
BMS Bequest Fund:
How a naturally longer circadian period modulates the development of the legume plant Medicago
Publications
Perez-Santángelo, S., Mancini, E., Francey, L. J., Schlaen, R. G., Chernomoretz, A., Hogenesch, J. B., & Yanovsky, M. J. (2014). Role for LSM genes in the regulation of circadian rhythms. PNAS, 111(42), 15166-15171. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1409791111
Schlaen, R. G., Mancini, E., Sanchez, S. E., Perez-Santángelo, S., Rugnone, M. L., Simpson, C. G., … Yanovsky, M. J. (2015). The spliceosome assembly factor GEMIN2 attenuates the effects of temperature on alternative splicing and circadian rhythms. PNAS, 112(30), 9382-9387. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1504541112
Perez-Santángelo, S., Schlaen, R. G., & Yanovsky, M. J. (2013). Genomic analysis reveals novel connections between alternative splicing and circadian regulatory networks. Briefings in Functional Genomics, 12(1), 13-24. doi: 10.1093/bfgp/els052
