RNA-DECO: Decorating RNA for a purpose
Roles of A-to-I editing in dsRNA recognition
As part of the Austria-wide Special Research Programme RNA-DECO (SFB F80), our group works to address the biophysical consequences of adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing – a prevalent type of post-transcriptional modification in mammalian cells. More information can be found at the RNA-DECO website: www.rna-deco.org
Structure and function of the NCoR complex and SETD5
Gene expression is tightly regulated during all phases of human development. The Nuclear receptor Co-Repressor (NCoR) complex is an important player in the context of transcriptional regulation through its histone deacetylase activity. The NCoR complex has been shown to interact with the SET-domain containing 5 (SETD5) protein, which affects the activity of the NCoR complex through an unknown mechanism. Mutations in these genes have been linked to intellectual disability (impairment of general mental abilities) or neurodevelopmental disorders, two conditions that affect approximately 2-5% of children worldwide. These and other data point to an essential role played by the NCoR complex and SETD5 in the context of human development. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying their important roles remain unclear. In this project, we aim to investigate the biochemical activity of and the interaction between SETD5 and the NCoR complex to gain insight into the poorly understood mechanisms by which they regulate transcription.
Project members: Victor Hugo Cifuentes Castro, Vera Kukushkina
VirHOX: Hacking the ribosome to map virus-host associations
Viruses are abundant, quickly evolving, and able to infect a huge diversity of organisms. High throughput sequencing technologies allow the rapid identification of new viral genomes, but linking viruses to their respective hosts remains a challenge. The aim of this project is to develop a sequencing technology to bridge this gap. Find out more at the project website: https://virhox.eu
Project member: Narakorn Khunweeraphong
Funding
