Our lab focuses on post-transcriptional mechanisms that regulate the expression of genes in higher plants. In particular, we are interested in the fate of mRNA molecules because of their pivotal role as intermediates in the gene expression process. Messenger RNAs are transcribed from genes as precursors that are subsequently processed and exported from the nucleus. In the cytoplasm, the mature mRNAs are bound by ribosomes and direct the synthesis of proteins until they are degraded by ribonucleases. In contrast to transcriptional control mechanisms, the mechanisms that control mRNA stability are poorly understood. The plant system is attractive for the study of mRNA stability because it is amenable to combined molecular, biochemical, and genetic approaches.