Areas of Interest
Broadly, my research seeks to understand how chloroplast DNA is packaged. Chloroplast DNA is not packaged in the same manner as prokaryotic nucleoids or eukaryotic nuclei. They do not contain histones or bacterial nucleoid associated proteins. Instead, chloroplasts have their own set of nucleoid associated proteins and unique organization. Chloroplast DNA is densely compacted at the membrane, with many tendrils extending into the stroma. I am studying how nucleoid associated proteins interact with each other and impact DNA packaging in chloroplasts. I have a particular interest in proteins with DNA-binding or transmembrane domains. Furthermore, I am studying how packaging and gene expression are connected and influence each other.