How RNA-binding proteins control gene messages after they're copied
Mechanisms of Post-transcriptional Gene Regulation by RNA Binding Proteins
Researchers are figuring out how proteins that bind RNA change the way gene messages are cut and processed, which could matter for cancers and conditions like ALS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11335746 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team isolates RNA–protein complexes from the chromatin part of cells to see how they shape alternative splicing and other post-transcriptional steps. They pull out particles that include snRNPs and regulatory proteins such as RBM5, SF3A2, DHX15, and the Rbfox family to identify interactions with nascent RNA. High-resolution cryo-electron microscopy will be used to determine the structures of these complexes and show how regulators act at late stages of spliceosome assembly. These molecular pictures are intended to explain how splicing decisions are made and how they can go wrong in cancer and neurodegenerative disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with certain cancers or ALS would be the most relevant to this line of work, for example as potential tissue donors or future trial candidates if druggable targets are found.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment changes are unlikely to benefit directly because this is laboratory-based basic research rather than a clinical treatment trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new molecular targets for diagnostics or therapies in cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier structural and biochemical studies of the spliceosome and RNA-binding proteins have produced important insights, and this project extends those successes with new isolation methods and cryo-EM work.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Black, Douglas L — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Black, Douglas L
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.