Faculty Profile

Fields of Study

Cell Biology

Areas of Focus

Biochemistry
Cell Biology
Plant Molecular Biology

Research Interest

Research in the Olsen lab focuses on organelle biogenesis and degradation. More specifically, we study peroxisome assembly, peroxisome proteomics, and autophagy in plants.

About Laura Olsen

Proteins synthesized in the cytoplasm must be targeted to their proper subcellular location and transported across the appropriate organellar membrane boundaries. Dr. Olsen's research focuses on the assembly of peroxisomes, which are small organelles present in all eukaryotes. A combination of cell biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology are used to investigate the mechanisms of protein transport into peroxisomes. Recent projects have included the development of an in vitro assay to reconstitute import, characterization of the energetics and chaperones involved in the process, and studies on the molecular mechanisms responsible for import of proteins along different import pathways. Most recently, the Olsen lab has begun a collaborative project to define the proteome of plant peroxisomes and to investigate the novel proteins discovered with this approach. In addition to being an intrinsically interesting basic biological problem, an understanding of protein trafficking in cells is critical as scientists design strategies to genetically engineer crop plants. It also provides an experimental vehicle to investigate the mistargeting of peroxisomal proteins, which is the cause of many severe neurological disorders in humans.

Dr. Olsen earned her Ph.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Davis. She was awarded the Class of 1923 Memorial Teaching Award in 1996, the Amoco Foundation Undergraduate Teaching Award in 2000, and is now an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor.

Publications

Reumann, S., Quan, S., Aung, K., Yang, P., Manandhar-Shrestha, K., Holbrook, D., Linka, N., Switzenberg, R., Wilkerson, C., Weber, A.P.M., Olsen L.J., and Hu, J. (2009). "In-depth proteome analysis of Arabidopsis leaf peroxisomes combined with in vivo subcellular targeting verification indicates novel metabolic and regulatory functions of peroxisomes." Plant Physiology 150:125-143. Read Publication.

Harrison-Lowe, N.J., and Olsen L.J. (2008). "Autophagy protein 6 (ATG6) is required for pollen germination in Arabidopsis thaliana." Autophagy 4:339-348. Read Publication.

Klionsky, DJ, et al (2008). "Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy in higher eukaryotes." Autophagy 4:151-175. Read Publication.

Bassham, D.C., Laporte, M., Marty, F., Moriyasu, Y., Ohsumi, Y., Olsen L.J., and Yoshimoto, K. (2006). "Autophagy in development and stress responses of plants." Autophagy 2:2-11. Read Publication.

Harrison-Lowe, N.J., and Olsen L.J. (2005). "Isolation of Plant Glyoxysomes." In Current Protocols in Cell Biology, Chapter 3 – Subcellular Fractionation. Edited by J.S. Bonifacino, J. Lippincott-Schwartz, M. Dasso, J. Harford, and K. Yamada. 3.19.1-3.19.8.

Goyer A., Johnson T.L., Olsen L.J., Collakova E., Shachar-Hill Y., Rhodes D., and Hanson A.D (2004). "Characterization and metabolic function of a peroxisoomal sarcosine and pipecolate oxidase from Arabidopsis." J. Biol. Chem. 279: 16947-16953. Read Publication.

Liepman A.H., and Olsen L.J (2004). "Genomic analysis of aminotransferases in Arabidopsis thaliana." Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 23(1): 73-89.

Johnson T.L., and Olsen L.J (2003). "Import of the peroxisomal targeting signal type 2 protein 3-ketoacyl-Coenzyme A thiolase into glyoxysomes." Plant Physiol 133: 1991-1999. Read Publication.

Liepman A.H., and Olsen L.J (2003). "Alanine aminotransferase homologs catalyze the glutamate: glyoxylate aminotransferase (GGT) reaction in peroxisomes of Arabidopsis thaliana." Plant Physiol 131: 215-227. Read Publication.

Pratt W.B., Krishna P., and Olsen L.J (2001). "Hsp90-binding immunophilins in plants: the protein movers." Trends Plant Sci. 6(2): 54-58. Read Publication.

Liepman A.H., and Olsen L.J (2001). "Peroxisomal alanine:glyoxylate aminotransferase (AGT1) is a photorespiratory enzyme with multiple substrates in Arabidopsis thaliana." Plant J 25(5): 487-498. Read Publication.

Johnson T.L., and Olsen L.J (2001). "Building new models for peroxisome biogenesis." Plant Physiol 127: 731-739. Read Publication.