As sessile organisms, plants cannot evade adverse environmental conditions. We are intrigued by the question of how plants perceive and tolerate abiotic stresses, particularly drought and heat. We are especially interested in two research areas: 1) cellular responses to the environment mediated by heterotrimeric G proteins, which are essential signaling proteins found in all eukaryotes, and 2) how environmental conditions and natural genetic variants modulate RNA structure and, conversely, how changes in RNA structure promote plant abiotic stress tolerance. Our research utilizes the model plant species, Arabidopsis, and the most important global crop, rice. We apply molecular and physiological methods in combination with novel genomics assays that we have developed, with an ultimate goal of improving crop performance.
Ongoing Projects
Phenotype specific manipulation of heterotrimeric G protein signaling for rice trait improvement.
The goal of this project is to use CRISPR and other advanced techniques to elucidate and manipulate G protein signaling for improved drought resistance and yield in rice.
PI: Sarah M. Assmann
Award #: NIFA-USDA 2019-67013-29234
Regulation of heterotrimeric G protein signaling by subunit phosphorylation
The goal of this project is to use the model plant, Arabidopsis, to elucidate mechanisms of phosphorylation-based regulation of heterotrimeric G protein signaling that are broadly conserved across eukaryotes.
PI: Sarah M. Assmann
Award Number: NIH-R01GM126079
Systems biology of heterotrimeric G protein signaling in overlapping stomatal closure pathways
Goals include establishing the degree of competition vs. partitioning among the Gα units, connecting each to the ABA and CO2 signaling pathways, and developing and applying convergent network analysis onto G-Proteins.
PI: Sarah M. Assmann, Co-PI: Réka Albert
Award #: NSF-MCB 1715826:
Genetic and environmentally-induced functional variation in the rice RNA structurome
The goal of this project is to test the effects of SNPs on riboSNitch functions in Rice in abiotic stress situations.
PI: Philip C. Bevilacqua, Co-PIs: Drs. S. Assmann, V. Honavar, A. Ferrero-Serrano.
Award from NSF
Cold shock proteins and multi-stress protection in rice: mechanisms and applications
The goal of this project is to test the use of exogenous cold shock proteins as a way to increase rice yield in the changing environment.
PI: Sarah M. Assmann, Co-PI: Philip C. Bevilacqua
Award from the USDA
The in vivo rice RNA structurome in abiotic stress sensing and response.
The goals of this project are to determine how RNA structure genome-wide is regulated by abiotic stressors, and conversely, how RNA structural changes contribute to abiotic stress tolerance in rice.
PI: Philip C. Bevilacqua, Co-PIs: Sarah M. Assmann, David Mathews (U. Rochester)
Award Number: NSF-IOS (Plant Genome) 13-39282:
Metabolomics of stomatal immunity in the disease triangle
The goal of this project is to identify components of the guard cell metabolome that play crucial regulatory roles in pathogen-triggered stomatal movements, and to elucidate the roles of these metabolites in the disease triangle (plant-pathogen-environment).
PI: Sixue Chen; co-PI, Sarah M. Assmann
Supported by the National Science Foundation and USDA-NIFA
