Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in S. cerevisiae

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The growth and development of all multi-celled organisms, including humans, requires cells within the body to adopt specialized functions. Cell specialization involves the presence of different proteins in different cell types, for example, muscle proteins in muscle cells and liver proteins in liver cells. Cells produce individual proteins by using specific signals known as mRNAs in a process called translation. We are studying two mechanisms that control what proteins are present in cells: translational regulation and mRNA degradation. Translational regulation involves mechanisms can turn on or off the translation of specific mRNAs, thereby controlling the production of the corresponding protein. mRNA degradation blocks the production of a protein by destroying the corresponding mRNA. Translation and mRNA degradation are controlled by specific proteins, called RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), that bind to mRNAs. The work in this proposal is focused on understanding how an RBP once it is bound to an mRNA is able to influence its translation and/or degradation. We are using yeast, a simple organism to study how RBPs work and are interested in a specific yeast protein known as Vts1p. Our previous work has shown that Vts1p functions by bringing two proteins, Eap1p and Ccr4p/Not, to an mRNA and that Eap1p and Ccr4p/Not then trigger mRNA degradation. More recently, we have identified another protein, Imd3p, that Vts1p also brings to mRNAs, thereby influencing mRNA translation or degradation. The work we propose in this grant will study how Imd3p works and will ask whether Eap1p, Ccr4p/Not and Imd3p work together. If it is found that these three proteins function together we will determine how this coordination is achieved.