How cells tag proteins with arginine to control genes and RNA
Protein arginine methylation in transcription and RNA metabolism
This work looks at how arginine methylation — a chemical tag on proteins — changes gene activity and RNA processes in ways that matter for cancers and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Duarte, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11262892 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will map how enzymes called PRMTs add methyl groups to arginine on proteins and identify the proteins that 'read' those tags. They will study how these modifications change transcription, RNA splicing, and other RNA-related processes using biochemical experiments and cell models. The team will connect those molecular changes to pathways known to go awry in cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders and may use patient-derived samples to link lab findings to human disease. The goal is to fill key knowledge gaps about how arginine methylation controls gene expression and RNA metabolism.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with cancers or neurodevelopmental disorders linked to abnormal arginine methylation, or those willing to donate tumor or tissue samples for laboratory study, would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: Patients seeking an immediate new therapy are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic science project in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new molecular targets for diagnostics or treatments for cancers and related disorders driven by abnormal arginine methylation.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory studies have identified PRMT enzymes and some disease links, but translating those findings into therapies remains largely unproven and this work aims to deepen the foundational understanding.
Where this research is happening
Duarte, United States
- Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope — Duarte, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yang, Yanzhong — Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
- Study coordinator: Yang, Yanzhong
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.