U.S.-Germany Cooperative Research: The Biochemical Function of Basonuclin in RNA Polymerase Transcription

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0202120TsengThis award supports Hung Tseng and a student from University of Pennsylvania in a collaboration with Ingrid Grummt of the Section for Molecular Cell Biology at the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, Germany. The project will focus on the biochemical function of basonuclin, a zinc-finger protein and a cell-type specific transcription regulator for the rRNA genes. The US-German collaboration will use biochemical purification, immunological detection, and in vitro and in vivo transcription assays to investigate the role of basonuclin in polymerase transcription. All cell require rRNA transcription, but its enhancement is particularly necessary when the rate of protein synthesis increases in proliferation and protein accumulation. One of the novel aspects of the action of basonuclin is the it is cell-type specific, which makes it different from all previously described polymerase I transcription factors. The US side brings current knowledge about basonuclin and reagents to the collaboration. The laboratory of Dr. Grummt is one of the leading groups in the world in RNA polymerase I research. That lab will provide expertise and state-of-the-art equipment in biochemical purification and analysis of the polymerase transcription complex. This collaboration will help institutionalize the collaborative relationship between the German and US research groups.