Â鶹ÊÓƵ

Skip to content
Home
Clara L. Kielkopf, Ph.D.

Clara L. Kielkopf, Ph.D.

Connect with Clara L. Kielkopf, Ph.D.

Center for RNA Biology

Wilmot Cancer Institute

Looking for more Information?

Visit my lab website to learn more about my research, collaborators, latest news, etc.

About Me

Faculty Appointments

Professor - Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics (SMD)

Credentials

Post-doctoral Training & Residency

Post-doctoral Training | The Rockefeller University 2000 - 2001

Education

Ph.D. | California Institute of Technology. Biology and Chemistry. 2000

B.S. | University of Wisconsin-Madison. Molecular Biology (summa cum laude). 1994

Awards

Edward P. Evans Foundation Research Award. 2020 - 2023

Edward P. Evans Foundation Research Award. 2017 - 2019

Edward P. Evans Foundation Research Award. 2014 - 2016

Cover illustration for CSHL mRNA processing meeting abstract book. 2009

Prostate Cancer Foundation Award. 2005

March of Dimes Basil O'Connor Award. 2004

Kimmel Scholar Cancer Research Award. 2004

American Cancer Society Postdoctoral fellowship. 2000 - 2002

NSF Pre-Doctoral Fellowship. 1994 - 1997

Hilldale Fellowship, University of Wisconsin-Madison. 1993

Research

The Kielkopf lab investigates the molecular structures and interactions among key pre-mRNA splicing factors in human genetic diseases and hematologic malignancies (Trends Genetics 2017). Our recent structures of U2AF2 bound to a range of splice site signals provide a basis for understanding disease-...
The Kielkopf lab investigates the molecular structures and interactions among key pre-mRNA splicing factors in human genetic diseases and hematologic malignancies (Trends Genetics 2017). Our recent structures of U2AF2 bound to a range of splice site signals provide a basis for understanding disease-causing mutations in the splice sites of gene transcripts (PNAS 2014; Nature Commun. 2016). As a step towards viewing the architecture of multi-subunit pre-mRNA splicing factor complexes, we revealed phosphorylation-induced conformational changes in the splicing factor subunit SF1 bound to U2AF2, and demonstrated that the phosphorylated interface is essential in vivo (Structure 2013). We have further shown that recurrent, cancer-associated mutations of U2AF1 alter its RNA interactions (Leukemia 2014; PLOS Genetics 2017). Now, our immediate goal is to determine roadmaps of the key interactions among higher order 3' splice site complexes, and in future phases of the project, assist the development of therapeutics targeted at the level of pre-mRNA splicing.

We are grateful to the following organizations for research funding:

National Institutes of Health:
R01 GM070503: Molecular Recognition During pre-mRNA Splicing
R01 GM117005: Structural Control of Human Co-factors for Retroviral Gene Expression

Edward P. Evans Foundation:
Research Discovery Grant: Structural mechanisms & targeting of MDS-relevant pre-mRNA splicing factors

Publications

Journal Articles

Maji D, Jenkins JL, Boutz PL, Kielkopf CL

Biochemistry.. 2024 October 10 Epub 10/10/2024.

Galardi JW, Bela VN, Jeffery N, He X, Glasser E, Loerch S, Jenkins JL, Pulvino MJ, Boutz PL, Kielkopf CL

The Journal of biological chemistry.. 2022 August 298 (8):102224. Epub 07/01/2022.

Glasser E, Maji D, Biancon G, Puthenpeedikakkal AMK, Cavender CE, Tebaldi T, Jenkins JL, Mathews DH, Halene S, Kielkopf CL

Nucleic acids research.. 2022 May 2050 (9):5299-5312. Epub 1900 01 01.

Chatrikhi R, Feeney CF, Pulvino MJ, Alachouzos G, MacRae AJ, Falls Z, Rai S, Brennessel WW, Jenkins JL, Walter MJ, Graubert TA, Samudrala R, Jurica MS, Frontier AJ, Kielkopf CL

Cell chemical biology.. 2021 August 1928 (8):1145-1157.e6. Epub 03/08/2021.

Maji D, Glasser E, Henderson S, Galardi J, Pulvino MJ, Jenkins JL, Kielkopf CL

The Journal of biological chemistry.. 2020 December 11295 (50):17148-17157. Epub 10/05/2020.

Maji D, Glasser E, Henderson S, Galardi J, Pulvino MJ, Jenkins JL, Kielkopf CL

The Journal of biological chemistry.. 2020 December 11295 (50):17148-17157. Epub 1900 01 01.

Warnasooriya C, Feeney CF, Laird KM, Ermolenko DN, Kielkopf CL

Nucleic acids research.. 2020 June 448 (10):5695-5709. Epub 1900 01 01.

Talkish J, Igel H, Hunter O, Horner SW, Jeffery NN, Leach JR, Jenkins JL, Kielkopf CL, Ares M

RNA.. 2019 August 25 (8):1020-1037. Epub 05/20/2019.

Kennedy SD, Bauer WJ, Wang W, Kielkopf CL

Biochemical and biophysical research communications.. 2019 April 2511 (2):416-421. Epub 02/21/2019.

Loerch S, Leach JR, Horner SW, Maji D, Jenkins JL, Pulvino M, Kielkopf CL

The Journal of biological chemistry.. 2019 February 22294 (8):2892-2902. Epub 12/19/2018.

Maji D, Grossfield AM, Kielkopf CL

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Gene regulatory mechanisms.. 2019 1862 (11-12):194440. Epub 11/09/2019.

Kielkopf CL

Current opinion in genetics & development.. 2018 February 48 :57-66. Epub 11/10/2017.

Glasser E, Agrawal A, Jenkins JL, Kielkopf CL

Biochemistry.. 2017 September 1256 (36):4757-4761. Epub 09/01/2017.

Jenkins JL, Kielkopf CL

Trends in genetics : TIG.. 2017 May 33 (5):336-348. Epub 03/31/2017.

Chatrikhi R, Wang W, Gupta A, Loerch S, Maucuer A, Kielkopf CL

Biophysical journal.. 2016 December 20111 (12):2570-2586. Epub 1900 01 01.

Loerch S, Kielkopf CL

RNA.. 2016 December 22 (12):1795-1807. Epub 1900 01 01.

Fei DL, Motowski H, Chatrikhi R, Prasad S, Yu J, Gao S, Kielkopf CL, Bradley RK, Varmus H

PLoS genetics.. 2016 October 12 (10):e1006384. Epub 10/24/2016.

Agrawal AA, Salsi E, Chatrikhi R, Henderson S, Jenkins JL, Green MR, Ermolenko DN, Kielkopf CL

Nature communications.. 2016 March 87 :10950. Epub 03/08/2016.

Loerch S, Kielkopf CL

Journal of molecular biology.. 2015 September 25427 (19):2997-3000. Epub 06/20/2015.

Okeyo-Owuor T, White BS, Chatrikhi R, Mohan DR, Kim S, Griffith M, Ding L, Ketkar-Kulkarni S, Hundal J, Laird KM, Kielkopf CL, Ley TJ, Walter MJ, Graubert TA

Leukemia.. 2015 April 29 (4):909-17. Epub 10/14/2014.

Agrawal AA, McLaughlin KJ, Jenkins JL, Kielkopf CL

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.. 2014 December 9111 (49):17420-5. Epub 11/24/2014.

Loerch S, Maucuer A, Manceau V, Green MR, Kielkopf CL

The Journal of biological chemistry.. 2014 June 20289 (25):17325-37. Epub 05/02/2014.

Jenkins JL, Agrawal AA, Gupta A, Green MR, Kielkopf CL

Nucleic acids research.. 2013 April 141 (6):3859-73. Epub 02/01/2013.

Gleghorn ML, Gong C, Kielkopf CL, Maquat LE

Nature structural & molecular biology.. 2013 April 20 (4):515-24. Epub 03/24/2013.

Wang W, Maucuer A, Gupta A, Manceau V, Thickman KR, Bauer WJ, Kennedy SD, Wedekind JE, Green MR, Kielkopf CL

Structure.. 2013 February 521 (2):197-208. Epub 12/27/2012.

Jenkins JL, Laird KM, Kielkopf CL

Biochemistry.. 2012 July 351 (26):5223-5. Epub 06/19/2012.

Bauer WJ, Heath J, Jenkins JL, Kielkopf CL

Journal of molecular biology.. 2012 January 27415 (4):727-40. Epub 12/02/2011.

Gupta A, Kielkopf CL

Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology and crystallization communications.. 2011 April 167 (Pt 4):486-90. Epub 03/25/2011.

McLaughlin KJ, Jenkins JL, Kielkopf CL

Biochemistry.. 2011 March 850 (9):1429-31. Epub 02/02/2011.

Gupta A, Jenkins JL, Kielkopf CL

Journal of molecular biology.. 2011 February 4405 (5):1128-38. Epub 12/10/2010.

McLaughlin KJ, Strain-Damerell CM, Xie K, Brekasis D, Soares AS, Paget MS, Kielkopf CL

Molecular cell.. 2010 May 2838 (4):563-75. Epub 1900 01 01.

Jenkins JL, Shen H, Green MR, Kielkopf CL

The Journal of biological chemistry.. 2008 November 28283 (48):33641-9. Epub 10/08/2008.

Manceau V, Kielkopf CL, Sobel A, Maucuer A

Journal of molecular biology.. 2008 September 5381 (3):748-62. Epub 06/17/2008.

Lin Y, Kielkopf CL

Biochemistry.. 2008 May 2047 (20):5503-14. Epub 04/25/2008.

Kumar AO, Swenson MC, Benning MM, Kielkopf CL

Biochemical and biophysical research communications.. 2008 March 21367 (4):813-9. Epub 01/15/2008.

Swenson MC, Paranawithana SR, Miller PS, Kielkopf CL

Biochemistry.. 2007 April 1746 (15):4545-53. Epub 03/22/2007.

Thickman KR, Sickmier EA, Kielkopf CL

Journal of molecular biology.. 2007 February 23366 (3):703-10. Epub 12/02/2006.

Sickmier EA, Frato KE, Shen H, Paranawithana SR, Green MR, Kielkopf CL

Molecular cell.. 2006 July 723 (1):49-59. Epub 1900 01 01.

Sickmier EA, Frato KE, Kielkopf CL

Acta crystallographica. Section F, Structural biology and crystallization communications.. 2006 May 162 (Pt 5):457-9. Epub 04/12/2006.

Thickman KR, Swenson MC, Kabogo JM, Gryczynski Z, Kielkopf CL

Journal of molecular biology.. 2006 February 24356 (3):664-83. Epub 12/07/2005.

Manceau V, Swenson M, Le Caer JP, Sobel A, Kielkopf CL, Maucuer A

The FEBS journal.. 2006 February 273 (3):577-87. Epub 1900 01 01.

Sickmier EA, Brekasis D, Paranawithana S, Bonanno JB, Paget MS, Burley SK, Kielkopf CL

Structure.. 2005 January 13 (1):43-54. Epub 1900 01 01.

Kielkopf CL, Lücke S, Green MR

Genes & development.. 2004 July 118 (13):1513-26. Epub 1900 01 01.

Kielkopf CL, Burley SK

Biochemistry.. 2002 October 141 (39):11711-20. Epub 1900 01 01.

Kielkopf CL, Rodionova NA, Green MR, Burley SK

Cell.. 2001 September 7106 (5):595-605. Epub 1900 01 01.

Kielkopf CL, Ding S, Kuhn P, Rees DC

Journal of molecular biology.. 2000 February 25296 (3):787-801. Epub 1900 01 01.

Kielkopf CL, Erkkila KE, Hudson BP, Barton JK, Rees DC

Nature structural biology.. 2000 February 7 (2):117-21. Epub 1900 01 01.

Kielkopf CL, Bremer RE, White S, Szewczyk JW, Turner JM, Baird EE, Dervan PB, Rees DC

Journal of molecular biology.. 2000 January 21295 (3):557-67. Epub 1900 01 01.

Kielkopf CL, White S, Szewczyk JW, Turner JM, Baird EE, Dervan PB, Rees DC

Science.. 1998 October 2282 (5386):111-5. Epub 1900 01 01.

Kielkopf CL, Baird EE, Dervan PB, Rees DC

Nature structural biology.. 1998 February 5 (2):104-9. Epub 1900 01 01.