Regulated turnover and processing of cellular RNAs is critical in the control of gene expression during cell growth and differenciation. Ribonucleases III form a family of highly- specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) endonucleases which control a wide variety of cellular RNA processing pathways. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic RNases III have a conserved important function in the processing of the precursor of ribosomal RNA (rRNA). Eukaryotic RNases III also play critical roles in the processing of a large number of precursors of small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), which are essential to mRNA splicing, and rRNA processing and metabolism, respectively. Our long term goal is to explore the multiple functions of RNases III in the control of eukaryotic gene expression. The S. cerevisiae RNase III homolog Rnt1p will be studied as a model enzyme to investigate the function of double-stranded RNA cleavage in the control of eukaryotic gene expression, and to decipher the biochemical mechanisms of specific cleavage by dsRNAses. Within this framework, our specific aims are: 1. To exhaustively identify natural RNA targets of yeast RNase III. Genetic results indicate that eukaryotic RNases III specifically controls the level of several specific mRNAs, in addition to their roles in rRNA, snRNA and snoRNA processing. Genomic approaches will be developed to exhaustively identify mRNA substrates of Rnt1p. An exhaustive list of RNA substrates will provide the phylogenetic information regarding conserved structural elements of the RNA substrates, and will shed light on the gene expression pathways controlled by this enzyme. 2. To understand the mechanisms of specific RNA recognition by yeast RNase III. Finding the biochemical determinants of RNA recognition by Rnt1p is an important issue to understand the specificity of RNA targeting by dsRNA endonucleases. Using a combination of biochemical, structural and genetic studies, RNA and protein chemical groups which are responsible for the specificity of RNA recognition by eukaryotic RNase III will be identified. 3. To unravel the integration of yeast RNase III activity in the cell metabolism. Several yeast proteins have been identified which interact with Rnt1p and are expected to influence Rnt1p activity in vivo. The influence of these proteins on Rnt1p activity and subcellular localization will be tested. In particular, provocative hypotheses suggesting that Rnt1p activity is modulated by N- terminal acetylation and that Rnt1p is involved in the sexual process will be tested.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
3R01GM061518-03S1
Application #
6695542
Study Section
Cell Development and Function Integrated Review Group (CDF)
Program Officer
Rhoades, Marcus M
Project Start
2000-07-01
Project End
2005-06-30
Budget Start
2002-07-01
Budget End
2003-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$29,799
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Los Angeles
Department
Chemistry
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
092530369
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90095
Gillespie, Abby; Gabunilas, Jason; Jen, Joanna C et al. (2017) Mutations of EXOSC3/Rrp40p associated with neurological diseases impact ribosomal RNA processing functions of the exosome in S. cerevisiae. RNA 23:466-472
Gabunilas, Jason; Chanfreau, Guillaume (2016) Splicing-Mediated Autoregulation Modulates Rpl22p Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PLoS Genet 12:e1005999
Roy, Kevin; Gabunilas, Jason; Gillespie, Abigail et al. (2016) Common genomic elements promote transcriptional and DNA replication roadblocks. Genome Res 26:1363-1375
Hodko, Domagoj; Ward, Taylor; Chanfreau, Guillaume (2016) The Rtr1p CTD phosphatase autoregulates its mRNA through a degradation pathway involving the REX exonucleases. RNA 22:559-70
Al-Hadid, Qais; Roy, Kevin; Chanfreau, Guillaume et al. (2016) Methylation of yeast ribosomal protein Rpl3 promotes translational elongation fidelity. RNA 22:489-98
Chanfreau, Guillaume (2015) Two degrading decades for RNA. RNA 21:584-5
Al-Hadid, Qais; Roy, Kevin; Munroe, William et al. (2014) Histidine methylation of yeast ribosomal protein Rpl3p is required for proper 60S subunit assembly. Mol Cell Biol 34:2903-16
Kawashima, Tadashi; Douglass, Stephen; Gabunilas, Jason et al. (2014) Widespread use of non-productive alternative splice sites in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. PLoS Genet 10:e1004249
Dzialo, Maria C; Travaglini, Kyle J; Shen, Sean et al. (2014) Translational roles of elongation factor 2 protein lysine methylation. J Biol Chem 289:30511-24
Roy, Kevin; Chanfreau, Guillaume (2014) Stress-induced nuclear RNA degradation pathways regulate yeast bromodomain factor 2 to promote cell survival. PLoS Genet 10:e1004661

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