Ideas Lab: Dark Dimensions of the RNA Regulome (D2R2)

为期一周的研讨会，即所谓的“创意实验室”，将把生命科学界的不同成员聚集在一起，以更好地理解存在于生物体中的全套遗传成分是如何被用来维持它们的功能的。生物体（基因组）特征的部分DNA被转录成RNA， RNA编码蛋白质，进而执行生物功能（生长、代谢、运动等）。然而，基因组的很大一部分产生了各种各样的RNA，这些RNA不编码蛋白质，而且它们的功能仍然非常不明确。鉴于已知这些类型的分子存在于所有生命系统中，了解它们的功能非常重要。这与理解生命系统如何运作和适应环境有关，也与开发应用于生物经济的新技术有关，包括农业、医药和生物能源。除了支持不同专业知识和背景的科学家之间的深刻交流外，这个研讨会最终将为学生和博士后提供跨学科研究的教育机会，因为这个创意实验室将开发新的研究项目。RNA规则组的黑暗维度（D2R2）创意实验室将是一个为期一周的研讨会，旨在汇集来自广泛学科的新研究团队，解决有关RNA分子进化和功能意义的前沿问题，RNA分子通常不编码蛋白质。深入了解这组特征不佳的分子将有助于阐明基因型和表型之间复杂相互作用的黑暗维度。尽管非编码rna在生物体中几乎无处不在，但人们对它们的作用知之甚少，难以定义。这个创意实验室有望为分子生物学和进化生物学的基本进展奠定基础。该项目将汇集生物学家、化学家、物理科学家和生物信息学家，开展具有巨大潜力的前沿研究，并将其转化为与生物经济相关的应用。此外，这个创意实验室将为学生和博士后提供教育机会，因为这个实验室将开发几个跨学科的研究项目。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

A week-long workshop, a so-called Ideas Lab, will bring together different members of the life science community to better understand how the full set of genetic components that are present in living organisms are used to sustain their functions. Part of the DNA that has been characterized in living organisms (the genome) is transcribed into RNA that encodes for proteins that in turn perform biological functions (growth, metabolism, movement, etc.). Yet a large part of the genome produces diverse classes of RNA that do not encode proteins and that remain vastly uncharacterized in their function. Given that these types of molecules are known to exist in all living systems, it is important to understand their function. This is relevant to understanding how living systems function and adapt to their environment, as well as to develop new technologies with applications in bioeconomy, including agriculture, medicine, and bioenergy. In addition to supporting insightful exchanges among scientists of different expertise and backgrounds, this workshop will ultimately provide educational opportunities for students and postdocs in interdisciplinary research, as new research projects will be developed as result of this Ideas Lab.The Dark Dimensions of the RNA Regulome (D2R2) Ideas Lab will be a week-long workshop designed to bring together new research teams from a broad range of disciplines to address cutting-edge questions about the evolution and functional significance of RNA molecules that ordinarily do not encode proteins. Gaining a deeper understanding of this poorly characterized set of molecules will help illuminate dark dimensions of the complex interplay between genotype and phenotype. Although non-coding RNAs are virtually ubiquitous among living organisms, their roles are poorly understood and difficult to define. This Ideas Lab is expected to lay the groundwork for fundamental advances in molecular and evolutionary biology. This project will bring together biologists, chemists, physical scientists, and bioinformaticians to develop cutting edge research with substantial potential for translation to applications that are relevant for the bioeconomy. In addition, this Ideas Lab will give rise to educational opportunities for students and postdocs, as several interdisciplinary research projects will be developed as result of this lab.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.