Dynamics, Plasticity and Evolvability of bacterial small regulatory RNAs

小RNA是最近加入的一系列基因调控因子，在细菌、植物和动物的关键生物学过程中发挥着核心作用。定量了解小RNA的调节特性，分子和细胞过程如何影响它们，以及它们如何适应和进化，是理解调节网络的设计原理和进化的关键。在这个项目中，PI将研究小调控RNA及其靶标mRNAs的性质如何影响RNA调控的效率、噪声特征和进化性。这些性质包括序列和结构的分子特征，以及翻译率和稳定性等功能性质。定量实验和理论研究将协同应用于从分子水平到细胞功能和进化动力学的多个尺度之间的桥梁。这项研究的结果有望为揭示小RNA在各种途径中所起的作用提供新的线索，并为将序列数据映射到小RNA-靶相互作用及其进化的性质提供工具。更广泛的影响。这个项目在分子生物物理学和数量生物学之间架起了一座桥梁，并体现了一种真正的跨学科方法。预计来自广泛学科的年轻研究人员将对此感兴趣，PI将通过建立一个跟踪该项目的讨论小组，为学生提供体验此类研究的机会。PI正在开发一门面向高级本科生和研究生的新课程，该课程将从定量的角度讨论一系列生物系统，并发展复杂生物系统建模的理论和实践方面。小RNA调控将是本课程的中心主题。

Small RNAs, the recent addition to the repertoire of genetic regulators, play central roles in key biological processes in bacteria, plants and animals. Quantitative understanding of the regulatory properties of small RNAs, how molecular and cellular processes influence them, and how they can adapt and evolve, is key to understanding the design principles and evolution of regulatory networks. In this project the PI will study how properties of small regulatory RNA and their target mRNAs affect the efficiency, noise features, and evolvability of RNA regulation. Such properties include molecular features of sequence and structure, and functional properties such as translation rate and stability. Quantitative experiments and theoretical studies will be employed synergistically to bridge multiple scales, from the molecular level to cellular functionality and evolutionary dynamics. The results of this study are expected to shed new light on the role played by small RNAs in various pathways and to provide tools that map sequence data into properties of small RNA - target interaction and its evolution. Broader Impact. This project bridges between molecular biophysics and quantitative biology, and exemplifies a true inter-disciplinary approach. It is expected to be of interest to young researchers from a wide range of disciplines, and the PI will provide an opportunity for students to experience this type of research by establishing a discussion group that would follow the project. The PI is developing a new course intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, which will discuss a spectrum of biological systems from a quantitative perspective, and develop the theoretical and practical aspects of modeling complex biological systems. Small RNA regulation will serve as a central theme in this course.