Professor Jonathan Pettitt
BSc (Hons) (1988; Imperial College, London) PhD (1992; University of Cambridge)
Personal Chair
- Email Address
- j.pettitt@abdn.ac.uk
- Telephone Number
- +44 (0)1224 437516
- Office Address
School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition
Room 4:38, Institute of Medical Sciences- School/Department
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition
Biography
Jonathan Pettitt graduated from Imperial College with an upper second class degree in Biochemistry. He then carried out postgraduate research within the Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, investigating the structure and expression of collagen genes in the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum. Whilst at Cambridge he was seduced by the many charms of the non-parasitic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, and upon completing his PhD he went to Bill Wood’s lab at the University of Colorado, Boulder as an HFSPO long term postdoctoral fellow to study C. elegans development. In 1994, he obtained a two year EMBO fellowship to continue this work in the laboratory of Ronald Plasterk at the Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, and learn the reverse genetics techniques pioneered there. He moved to the University of Aberdeen in 1996 where he became group leader and Lecturer in genetics within the newly built Institute of Medical Sciences.
Research Overview
Professor Jonathan Pettitt studies the mechanistic basis of specific RNA processing events using the nematode C. elegans as a model organism (aberdeenwormlab.org/). The main focus of the lab is understanding spliced leader trans-splicing, with the long-term goal of developing drugs that target this essential nematode-specific process. Such drugs are needed to treat the myriad parasitic nematodes that threaten both human and animal health, and impact global food security. Parallel work seeks to understand cap-adjacent RNA methylation, a modification that is found in most human messenger RNAs but whose functional significance remains unknown.
Research Areas
Biomedical Sciences
Research Specialisms
- Genetics
Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
Funding and Grants
BBSRC (2020 - 2023). Understanding the mechanism of a nematode molecular Achilles' heel.
Page 1 of 1 Results 1 to 40 of 40
Cap-adjacent 2’-O-ribose methylation of RNA in C. elegans is required for postembryonic growth and germline development in the presence of the decapping exonuclease EOL-1
Clemens, E., Brivo, S., Al-Khafaji, M. I., Eijlers, P., Kurukulasuriya, M. S., Haussmann, I. U., MacLeod, D., Wenzel, M., Muller, B., Soller, M., Pettitt, J.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biologyContributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.03.10.638824
A nematode-specific ribonucleoprotein complex mediates interactions between the major nematode spliced leader snRNP and its target pre-mRNAs
Eijlers, P., Al-Khafaji, M. I., Soto Martin, E., Fasimoye, R. Y., Stead, D., Wenzel, M., Muller, B., Pettitt, J.Nucleic Acids Research, vol. 52, no. 12, pp. 7245-7260Contributions to Journals: ArticlesBoth trust in, and polarization of trust in, relevant sciences have increased through the COVID-19 pandemic
Radrizzani, S., Fonseca, C., Woollard, A., Pettitt, J., Hurst, L. D.PloS ONE, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. e0278169Contributions to Journals: Articles#ESHREjc report: failed fertilization: is genetic incompatibility the elephant in the room?
Makieva, S., Fraire-Zamora, J. J., Mincheva, M., Uraji, J., Ali, Z. E., Ammar, O. F., Liperis, G., Serdarogullari, M., Bianchi, E., Pettitt, J., Sermon, K., Bhattacharya, S., Massarotti, C.Human reproduction (Oxford, England), vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 324-327Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deac265
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
People with more extreme attitudes towards science have self-confidence in their understanding of science, even if this is not justified
Fonseca, C., Pettitt, J., Woollard, A., Rutherford, A., Bickmore, W., Ferguson-Smith, A., Hurst, L. D.PLoS Biology, vol. 21, no. 1, e3001915Contributions to Journals: ArticlesTES-1/Tes and ZYX-1/Zyxin protect junctional actin networks under tension during epidermal morphogenesis in the C. elegans embryo
Lynch, A., Zhu, Y., Lucas, B., Winkelman, J., Bai, K., Martin, S., Block, S., Slabodnick, M., Audhya, A., Goldstein, B., Pettitt, J., Gardel, M., Hardin, J.Current Biology, vol. 32, no. 23, pp. 5189-5199Contributions to Journals: ArticlesA novel, essential trans-splicing protein connects the nematode SL1 snRNP to the CBC-ARS2 complex
Fasimoye, R. Y., Spencer, R. E., Soto Martin, E., Eijlers, P., Elmassoudi, H., Brivio, S., Mangana, C., Sabele, V., Rechtorikova, R., Wenzel, M., Connolly, B., Pettitt, J., Müller, B. M.Nucleic Acids Research, vol. 50, no. 13, pp. 7591-7607Contributions to Journals: ArticlesSLIDR and SLOPPR: flexible identification of spliced leader trans-splicing and prediction of eukaryotic operons from RNA-Seq data
Wenzel, M., Muller, B., Pettitt, J.BMC Bioinformatics, vol. 22, 140Contributions to Journals: ArticlesSLIDR and SLOPPR:: Flexible identification of spliced leadertrans-splicing and prediction of eukaryotic operons from RNA-Seq data
Wenzel, M. A., Müller, B., Pettitt, J.Working Papers: Preprint Papers- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.23.423594
Resolution of polycistronic RNA by SL2 trans-splicing is a widely-conserved nematode trait
Wenzel, M., Johnston, C. S., Müller, B. M., Pettitt, J., Connolly, B.RNA , vol. 26, no. 12, pp. 1891-1904Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1261/rna.076414.120
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Deep evolutionary origin of nematode SL2 trans-splicing revealed by genome-wide analysis of the Trichinella spiralis transcriptome
Wenzel, M., Johnston, C., Müller, B., Pettitt, J., Connolly, B.bioRxivContributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/642082
- [ONLINE] http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/642082v1?rss=1
- [ONLINE] View publication in Mendeley
A high-throughput screen for the identification of compounds that inhibit nematode gene expression by targeting spliced leader trans-splicing
Pandarakalam, G. C., Speake, M., McElroy, S., Alturkistani, A., Philippe, L., Pettitt, J., Muller, B., Connolly, B.International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance, vol. 10, pp. 28-37Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpddr.2019.04.001
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/12209/1/A_high_throughput_screen_for_the_identification_of_compounds_that_inhibit_nematode_gene_expression_by_targeting_spliced_leader_trans_splicing.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
- [ONLINE] View publication in Mendeley
An in vivo genetic screen for genes involved in spliced leader trans-splicing indicates a crucial role for continuous de novo spliced leader RNP assembly
Philippe, L., Pandarakalam, G. C., Fasimoye, R., Harrison, N., Connolly, B., Pettitt, J., Muller, B.Nucleic Acids Research, vol. 45, no. 14, pp. 8474-8483Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkx500
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/8751/3/An_in_vivo_genetic_screen_for_genes_involved_in_spliced_leader_trans_splicing_indicates_a_crucial_role_for_continuous_de_novo_spliced_leader_RNP_assembly.pdf
- [ONLINE] https://abdn.elsevierpure.com/en/publications/5c833370-19ee-4f43-a89f-287b19833814
Genetic home testing: why it’s not such a great guide to your ancestry or disease risk
Pettitt, J.The ConversationContributions to Specialist Publications: ArticlesSci-fi still influences how society thinks about genes – it’s time we caught up
Pettitt, J.The ConversationContributions to Specialist Publications: ArticlesOperons Are a Conserved Feature of Nematode Genomes
Pettitt, J., Philippe, L., Sarkar, D., Johnston, C., Gothe, H., Massie, D., Connolly, B., Muller, B.Genetics, vol. 197, no. 4, pp. 1201-1211Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] http://www.genetics.org/content/197/4/1201.full
- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1534/genetics.114.162875
β-Catenin: A Key Player in Both Cell Adhesion and Wnt Signaling
Pettitt, J.Wnt Signaling in Development and Disease: Molecular Mechanisms and Biological Functions. Hoppler, S., Moon, R. T. (eds.). Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 217-224, 8 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118444122.ch16
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Specific conserved C-terminal amino acids of Caenorhabditis elegans HMP-1/α-catenin modulate F-actin binding independently of vinculin
Maiden, S. L., Harrison, N., Keegan, J., Cain, B., Lynch, A. M., Pettitt, J., Hardin, J.The Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 288, no. 8, pp. 5694-5706Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M112.438093
Cadherins and their partners in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans
Hardin, J., Lynch, A., Loveless, T., Pettitt, J.The Molecular biology of Cadherins. van Roy, F. (ed.). Elsevier Science, pp. 239-262, 24 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-394311-8.00011-X
A genome-wide functional screen shows MAGI-1 is an L1CAM-dependent stabilizer of apical junctions in C. elegans
Lynch, A., Grana, T., Cox, E., Couthier, A., Cameron, M., Chin-Sang, I., Pettitt, J., Hardin, J.Current Biology, vol. 22, no. 20, pp. 1891–1899Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.08.024
SL2-like spliced leader RNAs in the basal nematode Prionchulus punctatus: new insight into the evolution of nematode SL2 RNAs
Harrison, N., Kalbfleisch, A., Connolly, B., Pettitt, J., Muller, B.RNA , vol. 16, no. 8, pp. 1500-1507Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1261/rna.2155010
The evolution of spliced leader trans-splicing in nematodes
Pettitt, J., Harrison, N., Stansfield, I., Connolly, B., Müller, B.Biochemical Society Transactions, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 1125-1130Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0381125
Rapid sublethal toxicity assessment using bioluminescent Caenorhabditis elegans, a novel whole-animal metabolic biosensor
Lagido, C., McLaggan, D., Flett, A., Pettitt, J., Glover, L. A.Toxicological Sciences, vol. 109, no. 1, pp. 88-95Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kfp058
Bridging the phenotypic gap: real-time assessment of mitochondrial function and metabolism of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans
Lagido, C., Pettitt, J., Flett, A. W., Glover, L. A.BMC Physiology, vol. 8, 7Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6793/8/7
- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6793-8-7
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/2608/1/Lagido_etal2008.pdf
Spliced leader trans-splicing in the nematode Trichinella spiralis uses highly polymorphic, noncanonical spliced leaders
Pettitt, J., Muller, B. M., Stansfield, I., Connolly, B.RNA , vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 760-770Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1261/rna.948008
C. elegans enabled exhibits novel interactions with N-WASP, Abl, and cell-cell junctions
Sheffield, M., Loveless, T., Hardin, J., Pettitt, J.Current Biology, vol. 17, no. 20, pp. 1791-1796Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2007.09.033
Histone gene expression and histone mRNA 3' end structure in Caenorhabditis elegans
Keall, R., Whitelaw, S., Pettitt, J., Muller, B.BMC Molecular Biology, vol. 8, 51Contributions to Journals: ArticlesReal time in vivo ATP Monitoring in C elegans
Lagido, C., Pettitt, J., Flett, A. W., Glover, L. A.16th International C. elegans Meeting (2007)Contributions to Conferences: AbstractsWhat Can A Bright Worm Tell Us About Its Biology?
Lagido, C., Flett, A. W., Pettitt, J., Glover, L. A.European Worm Meeting (2006)Contributions to Conferences: AbstractsThe Cadherin Superfamily
Pettitt, J.WormBookChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1895/WORMBOOK.1.50.1
The Caenorhabditis elegans p120 catenin homologue, JAC-1, modulates cadherin-catenin function during epidermal morphogenesis
Pettitt, J., Cox, E. A., Broadbent, I., Flett, A. W., Hardin, J.Journal of Cell Biology, vol. 162, no. 1, pp. 15-22Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.200212136
The Caenorhabditis elegans histone hairpin-binding protein is required for core histone gene expression and is essential for embryonic and postembryonic cell division
Pettitt, J., Crombie, C., Schümperli, D., Muller, B. M.Journal of Cell Science, vol. 115, no. 4, pp. 857-866Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe C. elegans hmr-1 gene can encode a neuronal classic cadherin involved in the regulation of axon fasciculation
Broadbent, I., Pettitt, J.Current Biology, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 59-63Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0960-9822(01)00624-8
Toxicity of the bacterial luciferase substrate, n-decyl aldehyde, to Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Caenorhabditis elegans
Hollis, R. P., Lagido, C., Pettitt, J., Porter, A. J. R., Killham, K. S., Paton, G. I., Glover, L. A.FEBS Letters, vol. 506, no. 2, pp. 140-142Contributions to Journals: ArticlesDevelopment and application of bioluminescent Caenorhabditis elegans as multicellular eukaryotic biosensors
Lagido, C., Pettitt, J., Porter, A. J. R., Paton, G. I., Glover, L. A.FEBS Letters, vol. 493, no. 1, pp. 36-39Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0014-5793(01)02271-2
Cadherin Superfamily Proteins in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster
Hill, E., Broadbent, I., Chothia, C., Pettitt, J.Journal of Molecular Biology, vol. 305, no. 5, pp. 1011-1024Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/jmbi.2000.4361
The use of bioluminescent Caenorhabditis elegans as multicellular eukaryotic biosensors
Lagido, C., Pettitt, J., Glover, L. A.European Worm Meeting (2000)Contributions to Conferences: AbstractsLuminescent Caenorhabditis elegans: a novel eukaryotic biosensor
Lagido, C., Pettitt, J., Glover, L. A.12th International C. elegans MeetingContributions to Conferences: AbstractsDevelopment of a Caenorhabditis elegans biosensor for monitoring environmental toxicants
Lagido, C., Pettitt, J., Glover, L. A.European Worm MeetingContributions to Conferences: Abstractscdh-3, a gene encoding a member of the cadherin superfamily, functions in epithelial cell morphogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans
Pettitt, J., Wood, W. B., Plasterk, R. H.Development, vol. 122, no. 12, pp. 4149-4157Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.122.12.4149
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