Assistant Professor of Biology, Linfield College, OR
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Cells tune the use of the genome through the activity of microRNAs (miRNAs), one class of small, non-coding RNA molecules that silence gene expression. What are the molecular mechanisms of miRNA activity in vivo? Understanding the molecular mechanisms of endogenous miRNA-mediated gene silencing is essential to the success of miRNA-based therapeutics, which employ endogenous silencing machinery.
At present, key molecules in the miRNA pathway have been discovered, but identification and characterization of downstream and regulatory factors is lacking. My lab is carrying out genetic and biochemical studies in Drosophila melanogaster to identify and characterize new genes required for miRNA activity, in order to expand our understanding of the miRNA-mediated gene silencing pathway and its regulation in living organisms. We use a GFP-based fluorescent reporter sensitive to regulation by miRNAs to observe gene silencing and to isolate mutants with defective gene silencing.
As we characterize newly discovered components of the miRNA pathway, we are using RNA-seq to determine how mutations in these essential miRNA pathway components influence the transcriptome. Specifically, we are curious as to whether newly discovered genes required for miRNA activity facilitate silencing at the level of translation block or transcript degradation. We are also determining the effect of specific mutations on miRNA profiles in living organisms. Taken together, our analysis will help elucidate the molecular mechanisms of miRNA activity in vivo
Materials are under development.
Materials are under development.
