Macromolecular machines involved in translation andmRNA-mediated localization

RNA molecules display a diverse repertoire of biological functions across all domains of life. These functions include the regulation of gene expression by microRNAs, non-coding RNAs and riboswitches; transfer of genetic information by messenger RNA; and enzymatic catalysis as essential components of large protein-RNA complexes such as the spliceosome and ribosome or alone as authentic self-cleaving and -ligating RNA enzymes. These varied examples demonstrate the broad range of important roles RNA molecules play in regulating gene expression in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Therefore understanding their detailed mechanisms is important not only because these events are fundamental processes in biology, but also because disruptions in their normal activity cause a variety of disease states.

We are interested in how specific RNAs regulate gene expression and more importantly how complex RNA structures are required for such regulation. Our laboratory studies the molecular basis of ribosome function and/or proteins involved in the repression or activation of protein synthesis during mRNA processing and transport. We primarily use the structural biology technique of X-ray crystallography to study the molecular details of protein-protein and protein-RNA recognition. In addition, we use complementary biochemical and biophysical techniques to address function in vitro.

MMG graduate student Ginny Vachon rotates in the lab.

2009:
Nov:
Postdoc Hasan Irier joins the lab from Prof Ray Dingledine’s lab in the Pharmacology Dept at Emory.

Oct:
Christine’s postdoc advisor, Venki Ramakrishnan is awarded the 2009 Nobel prize in Chemistry for his work on ribosome structure and function along with Professors Tom Steitz and Ada Yonath.

BCDB First year graduate student Katie Williams rotates in the lab.

Christine is an invited speaker at the Pittsburgh Diffraction conference in Athens, Georgia.

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