Teaching

I occasionally give guest lectures in Plant Virology (PLP 5013) and Virology (MICR 4123).  I have also taught Pathogenic Microbiology (MICR 3134), Cellular and Molecular Biology (CLML 3014), and the molecular genetics half of General Genetics (BIOL 3024).

Research

I study RNA viruses that infect cereals, with particular interest in viruses in the family Tombusviridae. By introducing mutations into an infectious cDNA clones of Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) and Maize necrotic streak virus (MNeSV) , my laboratory studies the effects of these mutations on the virus life cycle. Additionally, I am studying the mechanism these and related viruses use to translate their mRNAs in a cap-independent manner. I am also interested in developing viral vectors for use in cereal crops. 

Another interest is using RNA structure/function analyses and comparisons as an aid in elucidating the evolutionary relationships among RNA viruses. This work is in conjunction with the Plant Virus Biodiversity and Ecology project. (http://bioinfosu.okstate.edu/pvbe/)

Recent Publications

Wang, Z., Parisien, M., Scheets, K., and Miller, W. A. (2011) The cap-binding translation initiation factor, eIF4E, binds a pseudoknot in a viral cap-independent translation element. Structure 19:868-880.

Scheets, Kay. (2008) Machlomovirus (Tombusviridae). pp. 259-263 In: Mahy, B.W.J. and van Regenmortel, M.H.V. (eds.) Encyclopedia of Virology, 5 vols. 3rd ed. Oxford: Elsevier

Scheets, K. and Redinbaugh, M.G. (2006) Infectious cDNA transcripts of Maize necrotic streak virus: infectivity and translational characteristics. Virology 350:171-183 [pdf]

Wren, J.D., Roossinck, M.J., Nelson, R.S., Scheets, K., Palmer, M.W., and Melcher, U. (2006) Plant virus biodiversity and ecology. PLoS Biol. 4(3):e80 [pdf]

Della Vedova, C.B., Lorbiecke, R., Kirsch, H., Schulte, M.B., Scheets, K., Borchert, L.M., Scheffler, B.E., Weinand, U., Cone, K.C., and Birchler, J.A. (2005) The dominant inhibitory chalcone synthase allele C2-Idf (Inhibitor diffuse) from Zea mays (L.) acts via an endogenous RNA silencing mechanism. Genetics 170:1989-2002 [pdf]

For a complete publication list see here.