RNA secondary structure regulation of gene expression and its biotechnological application

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My lab focuses on the crucial role that alteration of RNA secondary structure plays in the regulation of gene expression. Specifically we investigate how RNA structure is associated with cyanobacterial sensing and response to environmental stress. Cyanobacteria represent the good, bad, and ugly of organisms. They play vital positive roles in global O2, CO2 and N2 cycles, while bioengineered strains function in bioremediation and are a source of biofuels and medically active peptides. Conversely, cyanobacteria are having increasingly detrimental effects on human health through degradation of water quality as a result of toxin producing blooms. Understanding the mechanisms by which cyanobacteria sense and respond to environmental stress is crucial to mitigate the harmful effects and to enhance the biotechnological exploitation of these organisms.