Sally Assmann
Waller Professor of Biology

-
366A Frear North Bldg.
University Park, PA - sma3@psu.edu
- 814-863-9579
Research Summary
Molecular biology of plant G-proteins and kinases. Phytohormone regulation of signal transduction and RNA processing. Second messenger regulation of ion channels in plant cells.
Huck Graduate Students
Huck Affiliations
- Bioinformatics and Genomics
- Plant Biology
- Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences
- Center for RNA Molecular Biology
- Plant Institute
- Center for Cellular Dynamics
Links
Most Recent Publications
A network-based modeling framework reveals the core signal transduction network underlying high carbon dioxide-induced stomatal closure in guard cells
Xiao Gan, P Sengottaiyan, Kyu Park, Sarah M. Assmann, Reka Albert, 2024, PLoS Biology on p. e3002592
Stomatal responses to VPD utilize guard cell intracellular signaling components
Yotam Zait, Ariel Joseph, Sarah M. Assmann, 2024, Frontiers in Plant Science
Influence of expression and purification protocols on Gα biochemical activity: kinetics of plant and mammalian G protein cycles.
T Gookin, D Chakravorty, Sarah Assmann, 2023, bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology
Extra-large G proteins have extra-large effects on agronomic traits and stress tolerance in maize and rice
Christian F. Cantos, Claude W. dePamphilis, Sarah M. Assmann, 2023, Trends in Plant Science on p. 1033-1044
Rock, scissors, paper: How RNA structure informs function
Sarah Assmann, H Chou, Philip C. Bevilacqua, 2023, Plant Cell on p. 1671-1707
Oryza CLIMtools: A genome–environment association resource reveals adaptive roles for heterotrimeric G proteins in the regulation of rice agronomic traits
Angel Ferrero-Serrano, David Chakravorty, K Kirven, Sarah Assmann, 2023, Plant Communications on p. 100813
Flanking Sequence Cotranscriptionally Regulates Twister Ribozyme Activity
L McKinley, R Kern, Sarah Assmann, Philip Bevilacqua, 2023, Biochemistry on p. 53-68
Inference of a Boolean Network From Causal Logic Implications
Parul Maheshwari, Parul Maheswari, Sarah Assmann, Reka Albert, 2022, Frontiers in Genetics on p. 836856
Genome-wide analysis of the in vivo tRNA structurome reveals RNA structural and modification dynamics under heat stress
Ryota Yamagami, Jacob P. Sieg, Sarah M. Assmann, Philip C. Bevilacqua, 2022, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on p. e2201237119
Experimental demonstration and pan-structurome prediction of climate-associated riboSNitches in Arabidopsis
Angel Ferrero-Serrano, Megan M. Sylvia, Peter C. Forstmeier, Andrew J. Olson, Doreen Ware, Philip C. Bevilacqua, Sarah M. Assmann, 2022, Genome Biology
Most-Cited Papers
Genome-Wide Analysis of RNA Secondary Structure
Philip C. Bevilacqua, Laura Ritchey, Zhao Su, Sarah M. Assmann, 2016, Annual Review of Genetics on p. 235--266
Guard cell sensory systems: recent insights on stomatal responses to light, abscisic acid, and CO<sub>2</sub>
Sarah M. Assmann, Timothy Jegla, 2016, Current Opinion in Plant Biology on p. 157-167
50 years of Arabidopsis research: Highlights and future directions
Nicholas J. Provart, Jose Alonso, Sarah M. Assmann, Dominique Bergmann, Siobhan M. Brady, Jelena Brkljacic, John Browse, Clint Chapple, Vincent Colot, Sean Cutler, Jeff Dangl, David Ehrhardt, Joanna D. Friesner, Wolf B. Frommer, Erich Grotewold, Elliot Meyerowitz, Jennifer Nemhauser, Magnus Nordborg, Craig Pikaard, John Shanklin, Chris Somerville, Mark Stitt, Keiko U. Torii, Jamie Waese, Doris Wagner, Peter Mccourt, 2016, New Phytologist on p. 921-944
The RNA structurome: Transcriptome-wide structure probing with next-generation sequencing
Chun Kit Kwok, Yin Tang, Sarah M. Assmann, Philip C. Bevilacqua, 2015, Trends in Biochemical Sciences on p. 221-232
Extra-large G proteins expand the repertoire of subunits in arabidopsis heterotrimeric G protein signaling
David Chakravorty, Timothy E. Gookin, Matthew J. Milner, Yunqing Yu, Sarah M. Assmann, 2015, Plant Physiology on p. 512-29
The G protein β-subunit, AGB1, interacts with FERONIA in RALF1-regulated stomatal movement
Yunqing Yu, David Chakravorty, Sarah M. Assmann, 2018, Plant Physiology on p. 2426-2440
Genome-wide RNA structurome reprogramming by acute heat shock globally regulates mRNA abundance
Zhao Su, Yin Tang, Laura E. Ritchey, David C. Tack, Mengmeng Zhu, Philip C. Bevilacqua, Sarah M. Assmann, 2018, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on p. 12170-12175
The α-subunit of the rice heterotrimeric G protein, RGA1, regulates drought tolerance during the vegetative phase in the dwarf rice mutant d1
Ángel Ferrero-Serrano, Sarah M. Assmann, 2016, Journal of Experimental Botany on p. 3433-3443
The guard cell metabolome: Functions in stomatal movement and global food security
Biswapriya B. Misra, Biswa R. Acharya, David Granot, Sarah M. Assmann, Sixue Chen, 2015, Frontiers in Plant Science on p. 1-13
Molecular and systems approaches towards drought-tolerant canola crops
Mengmeng Zhu, J. Grey Monroe, Yasir Suhail, Florent Villiers, Jack Mullen, Dianne Pater, Felix Hauser, Byeong Wook Jeon, Joel S. Bader, June M. Kwak, Julian I. Schroeder, John K. Mckay, Sarah M. Assmann, 2016, New Phytologist on p. 1169-1189
News Articles Featuring Sally Assmann
Mar 10, 2025
Plant biologist awarded the Masatoshi Nei Innovation Prize in Biology
Sarah Assmann, Waller Professor of Plant Biology at Penn State, has been awarded the Masatoshi Nei Innovation Prize in Biology. The award was established through a generous gift from Masatoshi Nei, professor emeritus of biology at Penn State; Laura Carnell, professor of biology at Temple University; and Nei’s wife, Nobuko Nei. The prize is intended to recognize a preeminent scientist who is on the faculty at Penn State, is an innovator in their field, and has achieved outstanding scientific research and leadership in the biological sciences.
Full Article
Apr 17, 2023
Structured Nucleic Acids Day, Robert Simpson and Sons Lecture set for April 18
A half-day symposium on structured (noncanonical) nucleic acids will be held on Tuesday, April 18, in Foster Auditorium, Paterno Library, Penn State University Park.
Full Article
Jun 13, 2022
Climate-associated genetic switches found in plants
Genetic variants that can act as switches directing structural changes in the RNA molecules that code for proteins in plants have been experimentally validated in plants for the first time. The changes to RNA structure can affect the molecule’s stability, how it interacts with other molecules, and how efficiently it can be translated into protein — all of which can impact its function and the traits of the plant.
Full Article