Our laboratory studies retroviruslike elements using the budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) retrotransposon Ty3. Retrotransposons make up almost half of the human genome but their regulation and impact on genomic function is not yet well understood; we study Ty3 as a model for understanding both retrotransposons and also retroviruses. Ty3 studies have elucidated the roles of virus structural protein in capsid assembly, roles of nucleoporins in nuclear entry and roles of transcription factors in integration specificity. We are currently focused on how RNA processing proteins help to localize and package the genomic RNA into particles. In addition, the laboratory is working to elucidate the genomic features which affect integration into chromosomal target sites. The laboratory uses a combination of molecular genetics, biochemistry and next generation sequencing to address these questions.