RESEARCH INTERESTS

In higher eukaryotic organisms, DNA is wrapped around nucleosome consisting of histones to form chromatin structure. Several biological processes such as transcription, recombination and repair are regulated by modulating chromatin structures. One of the most abundant and conserved epigenetic modification which regulates chromatin structure is DNA methylation. Several recent studies indicate gene expression and DNA methylation are linked biological processes and often DNA methylation is detrimental for gene transcription. DNA methylation is reversible epigenetic mark and can be removed enzymatically by DNA demethylase. We are interested in identifying additional components involved in DNA methylation/demethylation pathway. Using model plant Arabidopsis, our research aims to genetically and biochemically dissect the DNA methylation/demethylation process during abiotic stress and development.

            Another important determinant which regulates chromatin structure is histone modification. Histone modification patterns have been shown to be critical for establishing and maintaining stable epigenetic state. We are interested in identifying novel and unique histone modifications in Arabidopsis during development and in response to abiotic stress. Our research goals are to identify the enzymes involved in histone modification and proteins which recognize these modifications to regulate the underlying biological processes.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

• Zhang K, Sridhar V.V., Zhu J, Kapoor A, Zhu J-K (2007) Distinctive Core Histone Post-Translational Modification Patterns in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS ONE 2(11): e1210. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001210
• Vaniyambadi V Sridhar, Avnish Kapoor, Kangling Zhang, Jianjun Zhu, Tao Zhou, Paul M Hasegawa, Ray A Bressan, Jian-Kang Zhu. Control of DNA methylation and heterochromatic silencing by histone H2B deubiquitination. Nature, 447, 735-738 (2007).
• Jianhua Zhu, Avnish Kapoor, Vaniyambadi V. Sridhar, Fernanda Agius, and Jian-Kang Zhu. The DNA Glycosylase/Lyase ROS1 Functions in Pruning the DNA Methylation Patterns in Arabidopsis. Curr. Biol., 17, 54-9 (2007).
• Vaniyambadi V Sridhar, Anandkumar Surendrarao, and Zhongchi Liu. APETALA1 and SEPALLATA3 interact with SEUSS to mediate transcription repression of target genes. Development, 133, 3159-3166 (2006).
• Vaniyambadi V Sridhar, Anandkumar Surendrarao, Deyarina Gonzalez, R. Steven Conlan, and Zhongchi Liu. Transcriptional repression of target genes by LEUNIG and SEUSS, two interacting regulatory proteins for Arabidopsis flower development. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., USA, 101, 11494-11499 (2004).