Ravi Palanivelu

Professor - School of Plant Sciences, BIO5, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Genetics GIDP
rpalaniv@arizona.edu, Marley Building Rm 441E
520-626-2229 / 520-621-9567 (Lab)

Educational Background

  • 2004-2005 Research Professional, Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago.
  • 1999-2004 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago. Advisor: Dr. Daphne Preuss.
  • 1998 Ph.D., Genetics, University of Georgia. Dissertation advisor: Dr. Richard B. Meagher.
  • 1992 M.S., Plant Breeding and Genetics, Tamil Nadu Agriculture University, India.
  • 1989 B.S., Agriculture, Annamalai University, India.

Research Interests

  • Generating heat tolerant tomato by improving their reproduction under heat stress.
  • Overcoming hybridization barriers by studying pollen tube growth, guidance, and reception in Brassicaceae reproduction.

Selected Publications

Figueiredo, R., Costa, M., Moreira, D., Noble, J., Pereira, L. G., Melo, P., Palanivelu, R., Coimbra, S., and Pereira, A. M. (2024). JAGGER localization and function are dependent on GPI anchor addition. Plant Reprod. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00497-024-00495-w
Huang, Y., Liu, L., Chai, M., Su, H., Ma, S., Liu, K., Tian, Y., Cao, Z., Xi, X., Zhu, W., Qi, J., Palanivelu, R., Qin, Y., and Cai, H. (2023). Epigenetic regulation of female germline development through ERECTA signaling pathway. New Phytologist. 240(3):1015-1033. doi: 10.1111/nph.19217. PMID: 37606225
Huang, J., Yang, L., Yang, L., Wu, X., Cui, X., Zhang, L., Hui, J., Zhao, Y., Yang, H., Liu, S., Xu, Q., Pang, M., Guo, X., Cao, Y., Chen, Y., Ren, X., Lv, J., Yu, J., Ding, J., Xu, G., Wang, N., Wei, X., Lin, Q., Yuan, Y., Zhang, X., Ma, C., Dai, C., Wang, P., Wang, Y., Cheng, F., Zeng, W., Palanivelu, R., Wu, H-M., Zhang, X., Cheung, A.Y., and Duan, Q. (2023). Stigma receptors control intraspecies and interspecies barriers in Brassicaceae. Nature. 614, 303–308. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05640-x. PMID: 36697825
Noble, JA, Bielski, NV, Liu, M-CJ, DeFalco, TA, Stegmann, M, Nelson, ADL, McNamara, K, Sullivan, B, Dinh, KK, Khuu, K, Hancock, S, Shiu, S-H, Zipfel, C, Alice Y Cheung, AY, Beilstein, MA, Palanivelu, R (2022). Evolutionary analysis of the LORELEI gene family in plants reveals regulatory subfunctionalization. Plant Physiology 190 (4):2539-2556. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiac444. PMID: 36156105
Noble, JA., Seddon, A., Uygun, S, Bright, A, Smith, SE, Shiu, S-H., and Palanivelu, R. (2021). The SEEL motif and members of the MYB-related REVEILLE transcription factor family are important for the expression of LORELEI in the synergid cells of the Arabidopsis female gametophyte. Plant Reproduction 35 (1) :61-76. doi: 10.1007/s00497-021-00432-1. PMID: 34716496
Sze, H., Palanivelu, R., Harper, JF., and Johnson, MA. (2021). Holistic insights from pollen omics: co-opting stress-responsive genes and ER-mediated proteostasis for male fertility. Plant Physiology 187 (4) :2361-2380. doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiab463. PMID: 34601610
Cai, H., Liu, L., Zhang, M., Chai, M., Huang, Y., Chen F., Yan M., Su Z, Henderson, I., Palanivelu, R., Chen X., and Qin Y. (2021). Spatiotemporal control of miR398 biogenesis via chromatin remodeling and kinase signaling ensures proper ovule development. Plant Cell 33 (5):1530-1553. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koab056. PMID: 33570655
Desnoyer N, Palanivelu R. (2020). Bridging the GAPs in plant reproduction: a comparison of plant and animal GPI-anchored proteins. Plant Reproduction 33 (3-4):129-142. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00497-020-00395-9. PMID: 32945906
Desnoyer N, Howard G, Jong E, Palanivelu R. (2020). AtPIG-S, a predicted Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Transamidase subunit, is critical for pollen tube growth in Arabidopsis. BMC Plant Biol. 20 (1): 380. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-020-02587-x. PMID: 32811442
Noble JA, Palanivelu R. (2020). Workflow to Characterize Mutants with Reproductive Defects. Methods Mol Biol. 2160:109-128. doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0672-8_8. PMID: 32529432
Johnson M.A., Harper J.F., Palanivelu, R. (2019). A Fruitful Journey: Pollen Tube Navigation from Germination to Fertilization. Annu Rev Plant Biol. 70:809–37. doi: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-arplant-050718-100133. PMID: 30822112
Jones DS, Liu X, Willoughby AC, Smith BE, Palanivelu R, Kessler SA. (2018). Cellular distribution of secretory pathway markers in the haploid synergid cells of Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant J. 94, 192–202. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.13848. PMID: 29385641
Zhao, L., Cai, H., Su, Z., Wang, L.,, Huang, X., Zhang, M., Chen, P., Dai, X., Zhao, H., Palanivelu, R., Chen, X., and Qin, Y. (2018). KLU suppresses megasporocyte cell fate through SWR1-mediated activation of WRKY28 expression in Arabidopsis. PNAS 115 (3):E526-E535. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1716054115. PMID: 29288215
Wang, Y., Tsukamoto, T., Noble, J.A., Liu, X., Mosher, R.A., and Palanivelu, R. (2017). Arabidopsis LORELEI, a Maternally-expressed Imprinted Gene, Promotes Early Seed Development. Plant Physiology. 175: 758–773, doi: https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.17.00427. PMID: 28811333
Zhao, D., Chong, K., Palanivelu, R., eds. (2017). Molecular and Cellular Plant Reproduction. Front Plant Sci. 20 (8):199. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00199. PMID: 28265279
Liu, X., Castro, C., Wang, Y., Noble, J., Ponvert, N., Bundy, M., Hoel, C., Shpak, E., and Palanivelu, R. (2016). The Role of LORELEI in Pollen Tube Reception at the Interface of the Synergid Cell and Pollen Tube Requires the Modified Eight-Cysteine Motif and the Receptor-Like Kinase FERONIA. Plant Cell 28 (5):1035-52. doi: https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.15.00703. PMID: 27081182. This article was highlighted with a commentary in the "In Brief" section of the Plant Cell in the issue it was published: http://www.plantcell.org/content/early/2016/04/15/tpc.16.00308.full.pdf+html
Leydon, A. R., Tsukamoto, T., Dunatunga, D., Qin, Y., Johnson, M. A., and Palanivelu, R. (2015). Pollen tube discharge completes the process of synergid degeneration that is initiated by pollen tube – synergid interaction in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 169: 485-496. doi: 10.1104/pp.15.00528. PMID: 26229050
Qin, Y., Yadegari, R., and Palanivelu, R. (2015). ACTIN-RELATED PROTEIN 6 regulates DISRUPTED MEIOTIC cDNA 1 gene expression in Arabidposis thaliana ovules. Molecular Reproduction and Development. 82 (7-8): 499. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mrd.22472.
Guang-Hui Yu, G-H., Zou, J., Feng, J., Peng, X-B., Wu, J-Y., Wu, Y-L., Palanivelu, R., and Sun, M-X. Exogenous γ-aminobutyric acid affects pollen tube growth via modulating putative Ca2+-permeable membrane channels and is coupled to negative regulation on glutamate decarboxylase. J. Exp. Bot. 65 (12): 3235-48. doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/eru171. PMID: 24799560
Qin, Y., Zhao, L., Skaggs, M.I., Andreuzza S., Tsukamoto, T., Panoli, A., Wallace, K.N., Smith, S., Siddiqi, I., Yang, Z., Yadegari, Z., and Palanivelu, R. (2014). ACTIN-RELATED PROTEIN6 Regulates Female Meiosis By Modulating Meiotic Gene Expression in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 26 (4): 1612-1628. doi: https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.113.120576. PMID: 24737671. This article was also recommended by Faculty of 1000 Prime (http://f1000.com/prime/718352855).
Bashir, M. E. H., Lui, J. H., Palanivelu, R., Naclerio, R. M., and Preuss, D. (2013). Pollen Lipidomics: Lipid Profiling Exposes a Notable Diversity in 22 Allergenic Pollen and Potential Biomarkers of the Allergic Immune Response. PLoS ONE 8 (2): e57566. doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0057566. PMID: 23469025.
Cheung, A. Y., Palanivelu, R., Tang, W-H., Xue, H-W., and Yang, W-C. (2013). Pollen and Plant Reproduction Biology: Blooming from East to West. Mol. Plant 6 (4): 995-997. PMID: 23873927
Leydon, A.R., Beale, K,.M., Woroniecka, K., Castner, E., Chen, J., Horgan, C., Palanivelu, R., and Johnson, M.A. (2013). Three MYB Transcription Factors Control Pollen Tube Differentiation Required for Sperm Release. Curr. Biol. 23 (13): 1209-1214. PMID: 23791732
Veerappan. V., Wang, J., Kang, M., Lee, J., Tang, Y., Jha, A.K., Shi, H., Palanivelu, R., and Allen, R.D. (2012). A novel HSI2 mutation in Arabidopsis affects the PHD-like domain and leads to derepression of seed-specific gene expression. Planta. 236( 1):1-17. PMID: 22476218
Palanivelu, R., and Tsukamoto, T. (2012). Pathfinding in plant reproduction: pollen tube guidance by pistils ensures successful double fertilization. WIREs Dev Biol. 1:96-113. PMID: 23801670
Palanivelu, R. (2011). Targeted growth of pollen tubes to ovules prior to completing fertilization. Molecular Reproduction and Development. 78 (12): 893.
Qin, Y., Wysocki, R.Y., Somogyi, A., Feinstein, Y., Franco, J.Y., Tsukamoto, T., Dunatunga, D., Levy, C., Smith, S., Simpson, R., Gang, D., Johnson, M.A., and Palanivelu, R. (2011). Sulfinylated Azadecalins act as functional mimics of a pollen germination stimulant in Arabidopsis pistils. Plant Journal. 68 (5): 800-815. PMID: 21801250
Brau, E., Barnard, K., Palanivelu, R., Dunatunga, D., Tsukamoto, T., and Lee, P. (2011). A generative statistical model for tracking multiple smooth tragectories. Proceedings of the IEEE Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition. 1137-1144. doi:10.1109/CVPR.2011.5995736.
Renault H, El Amrani A, Palanivelu R, Updegraff EP, Yu A, Renou JP, Preuss D, Bouchereau A, Deleu C. (2011). GABA Accumulation Causes Cell Elongation Defects and Decrease in Expression of Genes Encoding Secreted and Cell Wall-related Proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell Physiology. 52(5): 894-908. PMID: 24799560
Yetisen, A.K., Jiang, L., Cooper, J.R., Qin, Y., Palanivelu, R*., and Zohar, Y*. (2011). A microsystem-based assay for studying pollen tube guidance in plant reproduction. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering 21(5): 054018.
Tsukamoto, T., and Palanivelu, R. (2010). Loss of LORELEI function in the pistil delays initiation but does not affect embryo development in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Signaling Behavior 5(11): 1487-1490. PMID: 20163554
Palanivelu, R., and Johnson, M.A. (2010). Functional genomics of pollen tube-pistil interactions in Arabidopsis. Biochemical Society Transactions 38(2): 593–597. PMID: 20298227
Tsukamoto, T., Qin Y., Huang, Y., Dunatunga, D. and Palanivelu, R. (2010). A role for LORELEI, a putative glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein, in Arabidopsis thaliana double fertilization and early seed development. Plant Journal 62(4): 571-588. PMID: 20163554
Qin, Y., Leydon A. R.,, Manziello A., Pandey R., Mount D., Denic S., Vasic B., Johnson M. A. and Palanivelu, R. (2009). Penetration of the stigma and style elicits a novel transcriptome in pollen tubes, pointing to genes critical for growth in a pistil. PLoS Genetics 5(8): e1000621. PMID: 19714218
Denic, S.Z., Vasic, B., Charalambous, C.D. and Palanivelu, R. (2009). Robust control of uncertain context-sensitive probabilistic Boolean networks. IET Systems Biology. 3(4): 279-295. PMID: 19640166
Geitmann, A. and Palanivelu, R. (2007). Fertilization requires communication: Signal generation and perception during pollen tube guidance. Floriculture and Ornamental Biotechnology 1(2): 77-89.
Nikolova, N*., Palanivelu, R*., King, E., Copenhaver, G., and Drews, G. N. (2007). Synergid cell death in Arabidopsis is triggered following direct interaction with the pollen tube. Plant Physiology 144: 1753-1762. PMID: 17545508

Teaching Responsibilities

  • PL S 359-Plant Cell Structure and Function

Research Areas

  • Biochemistry and Physiology
  • Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology
  • Cell and Developmental Biology
  • Environmental and Stress Biology
  • Genetics and Epigenetics
  • Genomics, Bioinformatics, and Systems Biology