Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Georgia
Research Interests
Selected Publications
Contact Information
My laboratory is examining the evolutionary roles of transposable elements in plants, especially retrotransposons. These are transposable elements that replicate via reverse- transcription of RNA into DNA. Specifically, we are studying the insertion-site preferences of a newly characterized LTR retrotransposon, named Pgr-1, characterized from the grass pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum). By gaining information about where members of the retrotransposon family insert in grass genomes, we will be able to test hypotheses about how retrotransposons have affected plant gene expression, and also how they have contributed to plant genome evolution. Also, insertion site preferences of retroelements will shed light on potential retroelement-host factor interactions, such as those shown for the Ty3 retrotransposon in yeast.
Huttley, G.A., MacRae, A.F., and Clegg, M.T. 1995. Molecular evolution of the Ac/Ds transposable element family in pearl millet and other grasses. Genetics 139:1411-1419.
MacRae, A.F. 1995. Patterns of transposable element evolution in the grasses. Pp. 41-56 in Experimental and Molecular Approaches to Plant Biosystematics, Editors: P.C. Hoch and A.G. Stephenson.
MacRae, A.F., Huttley, G.A., and Clegg, M.T. 1994. Molecular evolutionary characterization of an Activator (Ac) -like transposable element sequence from pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) (Poaceae). Genetica 92(2):77-89.
MacRae, A.F. 1994. An internally variable pentameric repeat DNA detected by random EcoRI clone Selection in Lupinus texensis (Texas bluebonnet). Plant Molecular Biology 24:697.
MacRae, A.F. and Clegg, M.T. 1994. Evolution of Ac and Ds1 elements in selected grasses (Poaceae). Pp. 312-324 in Transposable Elements and Evolution (John F. McDonald, ed.), Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.
MacRae, A.F. and Clegg, M.T. 1992. Evolution of Ac and Ds1 elements in select grasses (Poaceae). Genetica 86:55-66
MacRae, A.F., Learn, G.H., Jr., Karjala, M., and Clegg, M.T. 1990. Presence of an Activator (Ac)-like sequence in Pennisteum glaucum (pearl millet). Plant Molecular Biology 15:177-179.
Email: safmacr@jinx.umsl.edu
Office: 428 Research
Phone: 314/516-6205