The focus of my research is RNA editing, a process by which the coding and stability of an RNA message can be changed post-transcriptionally. Many targets of this process are components of nervous signaling. The primary goals of my lab are to examine species such as neurological model organisms and arthropod pests for novel editing sites and then to characterize these editing sites in regard to functional significance. Another goal of my work is to understand the regulation of the timing and tissue-specificity of editing.
I am also very interested in the role that editing plays in evolution, and an additional focus of my research is to examine the involvement of RNA editing in the formation of social systems in insects.
Recent Publications
Rieder, LE, Staber, CJ, Hoopengardner, B, & Reenan, RA (2013). Tertiary structural elements determine the extent and specificity of messenger RNA editing. Nature Communications. 4:2232
Pozo, P and Hoopengardner, B (2012). Identification and characterization of two novel RNA editing sites in transcripts of embryonic Daniorerio. Neural Plasticity. 2012:173728
Hoopengardner, B (2006). Adenosine-to-Inosine RNA Editing: Perspectives and Predictions. Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry. 6:1213-1216
Hoopengardner B, Bhalla T, Stabler C, and Reenan R (2003). Nervous system targets of RNA editing identified by comparative genomics. Science 301:832-6
Hoopengardner B and Helfland SL (2002). Temperature compensation and temporal expression mediated by an enhancer element in Drosophila. Mechanisms of Development 110:27-37.
