Dr. David Rosenkranz

Dr. David Rosenkranz
Postdoc
Institute of Anthropology
Anselm-Franz-von-Bentzel-Weg 7, 55099 Mainz
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Research Interests

My research focuses on the evolution of small RNAi systems especially the fast evolving and in part enigmatic Piwi-interacting (pi-) RNA- and small-interfering (si-) RNA-pathways. These small guiding RNAs play a crucial role in the control of mobile DNA during germ cell development and rapidly co-evolve with their targets resulting in lineage-specific realizations. We want to figure out evolutionary adaptations on the genomic and transcriptomic level that ensure the maintenance of a functional transposon defense over time. In addition, we are interested in elucidating the factors that trigger prima facie functionally redundant siRNA- and piRNA-pathway utilization. Finally, facing the fact that only a minority of mammalian piRNAs target transposons, we attempt to broaden our understanding of piRNA function beyond transposon control.

Key techniques: sRNA sequencing, bioinformatics

Research system/organism: Mammals (esp. primates) incl. non-model species

Five Most Relevant Publications
  1. Kellner S, Neumann J, Rosenkranz D, Lebedeva S, Ketting RF, Zischler H, Schneider D and Helm M. Profiling of RNA modifications by multiplexed stable isotope labelling. Chem Commun 2014 DOI: 10.1039/C3CC49114E.
  2. Wey-Fabrizius AR, Herlyn H, Rieger B, Rosenkranz D, Witek A, Welch DB, Ebersberger I, Hankeln T. Transcriptome Data Reveal Syndermatan Relationships and Suggest the Evolution of Endoparasitism in Acanthocephala via an Epizoic Stage. PLoS One 2014, 9(2):e88618
  3. Schumacher J, Rosenkranz D, Herlyn H. Mating systems and protein-protein interactions determine evolutionary rates of primate sperm proteins. Proc Biol Sci 2013, 281(1775):20132607
  4. Rosenkranz D. easyPAC: A Tool for fast Prediction, Testing and Reference Mapping of Degenerate PCR Primers from Alignments or Consensus Sequences. Evolutionary Bioinformatics 2012, 8:151-159
  5. Rosenkranz D and Zischler H. proTRAC - a software for probabilistic piRNA cluster detection, visualization and analysis. BMC Bioinformatics 2012, 13:5