The goal of this project is to understand how molecular signals inside the cell are used to control cell size and growth, cell migration, and cell survival under changing environmental conditions. Using mammalian cells grown in culture, undergraduate and graduate students from an undergraduate institution that serves students from disproportionately underrepresented African-American communities will use a range of biochemical, molecular biology, genetics, and genomics approaches to determine how components from different signaling pathways communicate to coordinate cell growth. This project will provide undergraduate and graduate students with training and educational opportunities in biological sciences, allowing them to further pursue career goals in academia or in life sciences industries. Additionally, incorporation of research findings from this project into the classroom curriculum will further enhance their quality of education and research in life sciences, helping to reduce disparities in STEM employment by broadening participation in the Nation's STEM research workforce.
This project will investigate the mechanism of the interaction between the YAP/TEAD protein, a key nuclear effector of the STK4/Hippo pathway, and RELA, a component of the NF-Kappa B (NFκB) transcription factors. The aims of this project are (a) to define the signaling mechanism that regulates YAP/TEAD and RELA interactions, (b) to determine the mechanism by which YAP/TEAD and RELA proteins physically interact in the cell, and (c) to demonstrate whether YAP/TEAD regulates the RELA-DNA interaction and the RELA-dependent gene transcription and cellular function. The techniques to be utilized in this project include high-throughput RNA or DNA sequencing, CRISPR/Cas9-aided genome editing, chromatin-immunoprecipitation and other molecular assays, and bioinformatics data analysis. The outcomes of this research include a comprehensive dissection of the mechanism of crosstalk between the STK4/Hippo and NFκB signaling in mammalian cells.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
