Maize RNA Secondary Structures

Nov 1, 2023 · 1 min read
project

Overview

We discovered novel miRNA-like secondary structures in maize (Zea mays) genes and transposable elements that correlate with small RNA production, DNA methylation patterns, and gene expression levels.

Publication: Genome Research (2023) Role: Co-first author Featured: SDSC & ACCESS-CI research highlights

Key Findings

  • RNA structures strongly associated with siRNA production
  • Structures explain up to 27% of variation in siRNA production
  • Discovered new class of tiny RNAs with regulatory potential
  • Diverse patterns across genes and transposable elements

Impact

First comprehensive demonstration that RNA secondary structure plays a functional role in triggering gene silencing in plants, providing new targets for crop improvement.

Press Coverage

  • San Diego Supercomputer Center - Research highlight
  • ACCESS-CI - “An A-MAIZE-ingly Surprising Discovery”

Collaborators

Galen T. Martin, Jeanelle Guardado-Mendez, Aline Muyle, Alexandros Bousios, Brandon S. Gaut

Genomics Bioinformatics RNA Biology Crops Epigenetics
Edwin Solares
Authors
Edwin Solares (he/him)
Lecturer in Computer Science & Data Science
I am a computational biologist and data scientist bridging artificial intelligence, evolutionary genomics, and climate-resilient agriculture. My research leverages cutting-edge machine learning and bioinformatics to address global food security challenges in the face of rapid climate change. With publications in high-impact journals including Nature Plants, PNAS, and Genome Research (h-index: 7), I develop tools and methods that advance both computational science and real-world applications.