Research in my group is aimed at discovering and characterizing agronomically important genes in cereal crops.  In barley, our emphasis is on understanding the regulatory mechanisms underlying complex transcriptional responses to inoculation and infection by the powdery mildew Blumeria graminis, an obligate biotroph.  Approaches include profiling the expression of microRNA genes and their transcription factor targets and analyses of cis-regulatory elements that mediate downstream responses to modulation of transcription factor expression. In maize, our emphasis is on life history traits and their relevance to disease resistance and defense capabilities. In particular, we aim to define the extent to which basal defense capabilities are affected by the onset of adult shoot identity. Since adult vegetative tissues are known to be more resistant to a variety of pests, genes whose expression depends the acquisition of adult identity may mediate increased investments in basal defense.

Lauter, N. and J. Doebley, 2002. Genetic variation for phenotypically invariant traits detected in teosinte: implications for the evolution of novel forms. Genetics 160: 333-342.

Lauter, N. C. Gustus, A. Westerbergh and J. Doebley, 2004. The inheritance and evolution of leaf pigmentaion and pubescence in teosinte. Genetics 167: 1949-1959.

Lauter, N., A. Kampani, S. Carlson, M. Goebel and S. Moose, 2005.  microRNA172 downregulates glossy15 to promote vegetative phase change in maize.  PNAS 102: 9412-9417.

Lauter, N. and S. Moose, 2006  Functional and positional dissection of a novel QTL affecting the duration of juvenility in maize. Proceedings of the 42^nd Annual Illinois Corn Breeders School 42: 89-113.

Moose, S., N. Lauter and S. Carlson, 2004  The maize macrohairless1 locus specifically promotes leaf blade macrohair initiation and responds to factors regulating leaf identity. Genetics 166: 1451-1461.