Contact Details
Prof Preiss is a molecular biologist determining the mechanisms and transcriptome-wide patterns of eukaryotic mRNA translation as one of life’s core processes and its regulation by RNA-binding proteins and non-coding RNA as a means of controlling gene activity.
He joined the translational control field in 1995 as a postdoctoral scientist and has since had a particular focus on mechanisms of translation initiation using yeast and mammalian cells and cell-free translation systems as his preferred models. In addition to his mechanistic work, he also studies global patterns of post-transcriptional control using microarray and next gen sequencing-based methods.
After starting his own group he continued to investigate the role of the mRNA cap and poly(A) tail and associated protein factors in determining mRNA utilisation. These studies overlap with work on the discovery of miRNA targets and the unravelling of their mechanism of action. Employing next gen sequencing technology (RNAseq) his group is further pursuing interests in the area of RNA (mRNA, miRNA, tRNA, other noncoding RNA) processing, modification, polyadenylation and utilisation.
Areas of expertise:
- Gene Expression (Incl. Microarray And Other Genome Wide Approaches)
- Epigenetics (Incl. Genome Methylation And Epigenomics)
- Systems Biology
- Proteomics And Intermolecular Interactions (Excl. Medical Proteomics)
- Cell Metabolism
- Bioinformatics
- Mycology
- Cell Development, Proliferation And Death
- Enzymes
- Cardiology (Incl. Cardiovascular Diseases)
- Cancer Cell Biology
From 1986-91 Thomas Preiss studied Chemistry at the Philipps-Universität, Marburg (Germany) and the University of Bristol (UK), followed by PhD work (1992-95) at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne (UK).
He spent the next seven years (1995-2002) as a postdoctoral scientist at the European Molecular Biology Laboratories (EMBL), Heidelberg (Germany), in parallel also completing his Habilitation in Biochemistry [Permission to teach at the professorial level] at the Medical Faculty of the Universität Heidelberg (Germany).
In 2002 he became a laboratory head at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in Sydney and held conjoint appointments at the University of New South Wales (Senior Lecturer, then Associate Professor). In 2011 he accepted a position as Professor of RNA Biology at ANU/JCSMR.
Highlight publications
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The Cardiomyocyte RNA-Binding Proteome: Links to Intermediary Metabolism and Heart Disease. Cell Rep. 2016 Aug 2;16(5):1456-69. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.06.084. Epub 2016 Jul 21. |
The Cardiomyocyte RNA-Binding Proteome: Links to Intermediary Metabolism and Heart Disease. |
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Short interfering RNA induced generation and translation of stable 5' mRNA cleavage intermediates. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016 Aug;1859(8):1034-42. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2016.06.005. Epub 2016 Jun 16. |
Short interfering RNA induced generation and translation of stable 5' mRNA cleavage intermediates. |
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Dynamics of ribosome scanning and recycling revealed by translation complex profiling. Nature. 2016 Jul 28;535(7613):570-4. |
Dynamics of ribosome scanning and recycling revealed by translation complex profiling. |
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METTL3 Gains R/W Access to the Epitranscriptome. Mol Cell. 2016 May 5;62(3):323-4. doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.04.024. |
METTL3 Gains R/W Access to the Epitranscriptome. |
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Role of miRNAs and alternative mRNA 3'-end cleavage and polyadenylation of their mRNA targets in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016 May;1859(5):744-56. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2016.03.010. Epub 2016 Mar 24. |
Role of miRNAs and alternative mRNA 3'-end cleavage and polyadenylation of their mRNA targets in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. |
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The emerging epitranscriptomics of long noncoding RNAs. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2016 Jan;1859(1):59-70. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2015.10.019. Epub 2015 Nov 2. |
The emerging epitranscriptomics of long noncoding RNAs. |
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Nucleotide-Level Profiling of m 5 C RNA Methylation. Post-Transcriptional Gene Regulation 2016:269-284. |
Nucleotide-Level Profiling of m 5 C RNA Methylation. |
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Metabolic Enzymes Enjoying New Partnerships as RNA-Binding Proteins. Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism 2016;26(12):746-757. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tem.2015.09.012. Epub 2015 Oct 28. |
Metabolic Enzymes Enjoying New Partnerships as RNA-Binding Proteins. |
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All Ribosomes Are Created Equal. Really? Trends Biochem Sci. 2015 Dec 9. pii: S0968-0004(15)00234-0. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2015.11.009. [Epub ahead of print] |
All Ribosomes Are Created Equal. Really? |
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PAT-seq: a method to study the integration of 3'-UTR dynamics with gene expression in the eukaryotic transcriptome. RNA. 2015 Aug;21(8):1502-10. doi: 10.1261/rna.048355.114. Epub 2015 Jun 19. |
PAT-seq: a method to study the integration of 3'-UTR dynamics with gene expression in the eukaryotic transcriptome. |
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Probe‐Directed Degradation (PDD) for Flexible Removal of Unwanted cDNA Sequences from RNA‐Seq Libraries. Curr Protoc Hum Genet. 2015 Apr 1;85:11.15.1-11.15.36. doi: 10.1002/0471142905.hg1115s85. |
Probe‐Directed Degradation (PDD) for Flexible Removal of Unwanted cDNA Sequences from RNA‐Seq Libraries. |
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Probing the closed-loop model of mRNA translation in living cells. RNA Biol. 2015;12(3):248-54. doi: 10.1080/15476286.2015.1017242. |
Probing the closed-loop model of mRNA translation in living cells. |
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EGF-mediated induction of Mcl-1 at the switch to lactation is essential for alveolar cell survival. Nat Cell Biol. 2015 Apr;17(4):365-75. doi: 10.1038/ncb3117. Epub 2015 Mar 2. |
EGF-mediated induction of Mcl-1 at the switch to lactation is essential for alveolar cell survival. |
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Roquin binds microRNA-146a and Argonaute2 to regulate microRNA homeostasis. Nat Commun. 2015 Feb 20;6:6253. doi: 10.1038/ncomms7253. |
Roquin binds microRNA-146a and Argonaute2 to regulate microRNA homeostasis. |
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Genome-wide characterization of the routes to pluripotency. Nature. 2014 Dec 11;516(7530):198-206. doi: 10.1038/nature14046. |
Genome-wide characterization of the routes to pluripotency. |
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Divergent reprogramming routes lead to alternative stem-cell states. Nature. 2014 Dec 11;516(7530):192-7. doi: 10.1038/nature14047. |
Divergent reprogramming routes lead to alternative stem-cell states. |
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An epigenomic roadmap to induced pluripotency reveals DNA methylation as a reprogramming modulator. Nat Commun. 2014 Dec 10;5:5619. doi: 10.1038/ncomms6619. |
An epigenomic roadmap to induced pluripotency reveals DNA methylation as a reprogramming modulator. |
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Small RNA changes en route to distinct cellular states of induced pluripotency. Nat Commun. 2014 Dec 10;5:5522. doi: 10.1038/ncomms6522. |
Small RNA changes en route to distinct cellular states of induced pluripotency. |
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The human Piwi protein Hiwi2 associates with tRNA-derived piRNAs in somatic cells. Nucleic Acids Res. 2014 Aug;42(14):8984-95. doi: 10.1093/nar/gku620. Epub 2014 Jul 18. |
The human Piwi protein Hiwi2 associates with tRNA-derived piRNAs in somatic cells. |
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Inflammation: Gone with Translation. PLoS Genet. 2014 Jun 19;10(6):e1004442. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004442. eCollection 2014. |
Inflammation: Gone with Translation. |
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Selective and flexible depletion of problematic sequences from RNA-seq libraries at the cDNA stage. BMC Genomics. 2014 May 26;15:401. doi: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-401. |
Selective and flexible depletion of problematic sequences from RNA-seq libraries at the cDNA stage. |
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G-quadruplexes regulate Epstein-Barr virus–encoded nuclear antigen 1 mRNA translation. Nature chemical biology 10 (5), 358-364. |
G-quadruplexes regulate Epstein-Barr virus–encoded nuclear antigen 1 mRNA translation. |
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Computational modeling for RNA structure discovery and characterization. RNA Nanotechnology, pp.51-72. doi: 10.1201/b15533-5. |
Computational modeling for RNA structure discovery and characterization. |
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Genetic variation in the two-pore domain potassium channel, TASK-1, may contribute to an atrial substrate for arrhythmogenesis. J Mol Cell Cardiol. 2014 Feb;67:69-76. doi: 10.1016/j.yjmcc.2013.12.014. Epub 2013 Dec 27. |
Genetic variation in the two-pore domain potassium channel, TASK-1, may contribute to an atrial substrate for arrhythmogenesis. |
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Yeast hEST1A/B (SMG5/6)–like proteins contribute to environment-sensing adaptive gene expression responses. G3 (Bethesda). 2013 Oct 3;3(10):1649-59. doi: 10.1534/g3.113.006924. |
Yeast hEST1A/B (SMG5/6)–like proteins contribute to environment-sensing adaptive gene expression responses. |
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TASK-1 potassium channel mutations in atrial fibrillation. European Heart Journal 2013 Aug 1;34(Issue suppl 1):3411. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/eht309.3411 Epub: 2013 Aug 1. |
TASK-1 potassium channel mutations in atrial fibrillation. |
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In Eukaryonten. Grundlagen der Molekularen Medizin, 152. |
In Eukaryonten. |
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Mapping and significance of the mRNA methylome. Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA. 2013 Jul-Aug;4(4):397-422. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1166. Epub 2013 May 16. |
Mapping and significance of the mRNA methylome. |
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Maternal obesity and diabetes induces latent metabolic defects and widespread epigenetic changes in isogenic mice. Epigenetics. 2013 Jun;8(6):602-11. doi: 10.4161/epi.24656. Epub 2013 Apr 26. |
Maternal obesity and diabetes induces latent metabolic defects and widespread epigenetic changes in isogenic mice. |
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RNA-binding proteins in mendelian disease. Trends Genet. 2013 May;29(5):318-27. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2013.01.004. Epub 2013 Feb 15. |
RNA-binding proteins in mendelian disease. |
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Circular RNAs: splicing's enigma variations. EMBO J. 2013 Apr 3;32(7):923-5. doi: 10.1038/emboj.2013.53. Epub 2013 Mar 5. |
Circular RNAs: splicing's enigma variations. |
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A heterozygous variant in the human cardiac miR-133 gene, MIR133A2, alters miRNA duplex processing and strand abundance. BMC Genetics. 2013 March 6;14:18. doi: 10.1186/1471-2156-14-1. |
A heterozygous variant in the human cardiac miR-133 gene, MIR133A2, alters miRNA duplex processing and strand abundance. |
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Insights into RNA biology from an atlas of mammalian mRNA-binding proteins. Cell. 2012 Jun 8;149(6):1393-406. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.04.031. Epub 2012 May 31. |
Insights into RNA biology from an atlas of mammalian mRNA-binding proteins. |
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miR-380-5p represses p53 to control cellular survival and is associated with poor outcome in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. Nat Med. 2010 Oct; 16(10): 1134–1140.. doi: 10.1038/nm.2227. Epub 2010 Sep 26. |
miR-380-5p represses p53 to control cellular survival and is associated with poor outcome in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. |
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The REM phase of gene regulation. Trends Biochem Sci. 2010 Aug;35(8):423-6. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2010.05.009. Epub 2010 Jun 16. |
The REM phase of gene regulation. |
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Drosophila miR2 primarily targets the m 7 GpppN cap structure for translational repression. Molecular Cell 2009 Sept 24;35(6):881-888. doi:10.1016/j.molcel.2009.09.009. |
Drosophila miR2 primarily targets the m 7 GpppN cap structure for translational repression. |
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Inhibition of translation initiation by a microRNA. MicroRNAs: from basic science to disease biology, 1st edn. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK (2008). Pages 85-101. |
Inhibition of translation initiation by a microRNA. |
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A network of multiple regulatory layers shapes gene expression in fission yeast. Mol Cell. 2007 Apr 13;26(1):145-55. |
A network of multiple regulatory layers shapes gene expression in fission yeast. |
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MicroRNAs control translation initiation by inhibiting eukaryotic initiation factor 4E/cap and poly (A) tail function. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Nov 22;102(47):16961–16966. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0506482102. Epub 2005 Nov 15. |
MicroRNAs control translation initiation by inhibiting eukaryotic initiation factor 4E/cap and poly (A) tail function. |
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Homodirectional changes in transcriptome composition and mRNA translation induced by rapamycin and heat shock. Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 2003;10:1039 – 1047. doi:10.1038/nsb1015. Epub: 9 November 2003. |
Homodirectional changes in transcriptome composition and mRNA translation induced by rapamycin and heat shock. |
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The yeast nuclear cap binding complex can interact with translation factor eIF4G and mediate translation initiation. Mol Cell. 2000 Jul;6(1):191-6. |
The yeast nuclear cap binding complex can interact with translation factor eIF4G and mediate translation initiation. |
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Translational control of dosage compensation in Drosophila by Sex‐lethal: cooperative silencing via the 5′ and 3′ UTRs of msl‐2 mRNA is independent of the poly (A) tail. EMBO J. 1999 Nov 1;18(21):6146-54. |
Translational control of dosage compensation in Drosophila by Sex‐lethal: cooperative silencing via the 5′ and 3′ UTRs of msl‐2 mRNA is independent of the poly (A) tail. |
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From factors to mechanisms: translation and translational control in eukaryotes. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 1999 Oct;9(5):515-21. |
From factors to mechanisms: translation and translational control in eukaryotes. |
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Translation driven by an eIF4G core domain in vivo. EMBO J. 1999 Sep 1;18(17):4865–4874. doi: 10.1093/emboj/18.17.4865. |
Translation driven by an eIF4G core domain in vivo. |
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Dual function of the messenger RNA cap structure in poly(A)-tail-promoted translation in yeast. Nature. 1998 Apr 2;392(6675):516-20. |
Dual function of the messenger RNA cap structure in poly(A)-tail-promoted translation in yeast. |
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Glutamate dehydrogenase: an organelle-specific mRNA-binding protein. Trends Biochem Sci. 1997 Aug;22(8):290. |
Glutamate dehydrogenase: an organelle-specific mRNA-binding protein. |