Anna Nelson-Dittrich - Postdoctoral Research Associate
Lab affiliations:
2006-2012 (Ph.D.): Timothy Devarenne, Texas A&M biochemistry & biophysics
2012-2015 (postdoc): Noah Whiteman, University of Arizona ecology & evolutionary biology
2016-present (postdoc): Mark Beilstein, University of Arizona plant science
2006-2012 (Ph.D.): Timothy Devarenne, Texas A&M biochemistry & biophysics
2012-2015 (postdoc): Noah Whiteman, University of Arizona ecology & evolutionary biology
2016-present (postdoc): Mark Beilstein, University of Arizona plant science
I have broad interests in biochemistry, molecular biology, and evolutionary biology. In general, I enjoy investigating the mechanisms by which an enzyme (or group of enzymes) performs its unique functions in a species, and then learning how those functions have changed (or not) in closely and distantly related species. As a Ph.D. student, I studied two plant protein kinases that play important roles in both normal development and in defense against pathogens. After graduating I began working in a completely different system. Glutathione S-transferases are known to detoxify a huge range of poisonous substances; in my first postdoc I helped show that duplications in these genes may enable a recently-evolved species of fly to more efficiently degrade toxins present in its diet.
I joined Mark’s lab in January 2016, moving from flies back to plants to work with an important and interesting eukaryotic enzyme: telomerase. Unlike most enzymes, telomerase needs more than just a properly formed protein to work; an RNA subunit (TER) that binds to the protein (TERT) and acts as a template for telomere repeat addition is absolutely required for telomerase activity. Telomerase function is quite conserved across most eukaryotes, and unsurprisingly the sequence of the TERT protein is also highly conserved. This makes it easy to identify TERT simply by searching for its sequence in a genome. In contrast, TER is highly variable in sequence and cannot be picked out in a genome search; it must be experimentally identified. In Arabidopsis, two closely related TERT-interacting RNAs were discovered several years ago. One of these RNAs has been shown to work with TERT to extend Arabidopsis telomeres, and therefore is considered to be the Arabidopsis TER. However, in several close relatives of Arabidopsis, the homolog of this RNA appears to be nonfunctional, raising the possibility of other TER-like RNA(s) in those plant species. Currently my main project is to conduct an unbiased search for RNAs that interact with the protein subunit of telomerase. From this project, I hope to accomplish two goals: (1) discover a TER that is capable of telomere extension in plant species where the TER1-like RNA is not functional and (2) understand the degree to which telomerase function is conserved between Arabidopsis and its relatives.
I joined Mark’s lab in January 2016, moving from flies back to plants to work with an important and interesting eukaryotic enzyme: telomerase. Unlike most enzymes, telomerase needs more than just a properly formed protein to work; an RNA subunit (TER) that binds to the protein (TERT) and acts as a template for telomere repeat addition is absolutely required for telomerase activity. Telomerase function is quite conserved across most eukaryotes, and unsurprisingly the sequence of the TERT protein is also highly conserved. This makes it easy to identify TERT simply by searching for its sequence in a genome. In contrast, TER is highly variable in sequence and cannot be picked out in a genome search; it must be experimentally identified. In Arabidopsis, two closely related TERT-interacting RNAs were discovered several years ago. One of these RNAs has been shown to work with TERT to extend Arabidopsis telomeres, and therefore is considered to be the Arabidopsis TER. However, in several close relatives of Arabidopsis, the homolog of this RNA appears to be nonfunctional, raising the possibility of other TER-like RNA(s) in those plant species. Currently my main project is to conduct an unbiased search for RNAs that interact with the protein subunit of telomerase. From this project, I hope to accomplish two goals: (1) discover a TER that is capable of telomere extension in plant species where the TER1-like RNA is not functional and (2) understand the degree to which telomerase function is conserved between Arabidopsis and its relatives.
