Role of Methylation in MicroRNA Metabolism in Arabidopsis

甲基化在拟南芥 MicroRNA 代谢中的作用

• 批准号: 0718029
• 负责人: Xuemei Chen
• 金额: $ 50万
• 依托单位: University of California-Riverside
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-01 至 2011-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0718029&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Role; Methylation; MicroRNA; Metabolism; Arabidopsis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) constitute two major classes of small regulatory RNAs that play crucial roles in development, metabolism, and genome organization in plants, fungi and animals. In a previous NSF funded project, the PI's group uncovered a new step in plant miRNA biogenesis methylation of the 2' OH of the 3' terminal nucleotides. The 2'-O-methyl group protects miRNAs from a uridylation activity and an exonuclease activity. In this project, the PI's and co-PI's groups will employ biochemical approaches to probe the functions of methylation and uridylation and to use genetic approaches to identify the genes encoding the uridylation enzyme and/or the exonuclease.Small RNAs have a profound impact on an organism's development and physiology. Understanding how small RNAs are generated, modified and degraded provides the intellectual foundation to probe various biological processes involving small RNA regulation. Although how small RNAs are processed from their precursors is well understood, little is known about how they are modified or degraded. By uncovering mechanisms in small RNA modification and degradation, this research will have profound impacts on the small RNA field and will ultimately contribute to a deeper understanding of small RNA biology and to the development of small RNA-based technologies to improve agriculture. The project will also provide research opportunities for a number of undergraduate students, including ones from underrepresented minorities.

microRNA（miRNA）和小型干扰RNA（siRNA）构成了两种主要的小型监​​管RNA类，它们在植物，真菌和动物中在发育，代谢和基因组组织中起着至关重要的作用。在先前的NSF资助项目中，PI的组发现了3'末端核苷酸2'OH的植物miRNA生物发生甲基化的新步骤。 2'-O-甲基群可保护miRNA免受尿苷活性和核酸外切酶的活性。在该项目中，PI和Co-Pi的小组将采用生化方法来探测甲基化和尿苷的功能，并使用遗传方法来识别编码尿苷酶和/或外核酸酶的基因。小型RNA对生物体的发育和生理学产生了深远的影响。了解如何生成，修改和降解小型RNA为探测涉及小RNA调节的各种生物学过程提供了智力基础。尽管对其前体处理小的RNA的处理方式有充分的了解，但对它们的修改或降解方式知之甚少。通过发现小RNA修饰和降解中的机制，这项研究将对小的RNA场产生深远的影响，并最终将有助于更深入地了解小型RNA生物学，并开发基于RNA的小型技术以改善农业。该项目还将为许多本科生提供研究机会，包括来自代表性不足的少数群体的研究机会。