Genetic and Molecular Dissection of Meiotic Silencing by Unpaired DNA

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The overall goal of this project is to delineate the mechanism of Meiotic Silencing by Unpaired DNA (MSUD), a novel gene silencing system first described in Neurospora crassa. During the chromosome pairing stage, the zygotic cell examines the entire genome and compares the pairing of any DNA segment with its pairing partner. Any genes not paired with a similar sequence generates a silencing signal, which subsequently suppresses the gene expression of this unpaired DNA, as well as any sequences homologous to it, whether they are paired or not. Meiotic silencing utilizes the specific destruction of mRNA transcripts, a mechanism known as RNA interference (RNAi). The study of meiotic silencing will provide an excellent model for the delineation of the mechanism targeting unpaired DNA for silencing during meiosis, a process that could be important for imprinted X-chromosome inactivation and other phenomena in higher eukaryotes. Since RNAi has tremendous potential as an experimental tool to reveal gene functions, the understanding of meiotic silencing and other RNA-based silencing systems could have a broad impact on research in all areas of biology. Genetics, cell biology, and other approaches will be used to identify the machinery and the mechanistic steps required for the meiotic silencing system. Broader impact: The principal investigator is involved in a number of teaching and mentoring activities, such as the EXPRESS (Exposure to Research for Science Students) program. To broaden the participation of underrepresented groups, the investigators of this project will recruit and train undergraduate students from non-Ph.D.-granting and minority-serving institutions. A postdoctoral training plan with an emphasis on scholar preparation and mentoring/teaching skills will also be implemented.