Biogenesis and evolution of fungal telomerase RNA

端粒酶对于维持基因组的稳定性和细胞的不朽至关重要。阐明新的端粒酶生物发生途径和蛋白质-RNA在未知真菌群中的共同进化将揭示生物学中酶进化的基本原理。值得注意的是，这项研究中包括的真菌是两栖动物和粮食作物的已知病原体。该项目将包括培训来自代表人数不足的少数群体的高中生和本科生。这些学生将拥有实验室实践经验，这将激励和鼓励他们在STEM学科中追求职业生涯。此外，研究经验还将提高它们在大学和研究生中的应用性和竞争力。学生还将参与更新和改进我们的可公开访问的端粒酶数据库，该数据库是向公众传播假说和好奇心驱动的研究的有效手段。端粒酶核糖核蛋白(RNP)的组成和生物发生途径在不同的真核生物群体中非常不同。来自不同物种群体的端粒酶RNA之间的起源和进化联系仍未解决。为了了解驱动端粒酶RNP多样性的机制，需要研究真核生物中不同代表性类群的端粒酶。该项目将使用分子生物学和生化方法从先前探索的子囊菌门以外的关键真菌物种中鉴定TRs。新发现的TRs将为端粒酶RNP的结构-功能和生物发生提供新的、令人兴奋的模型。总之，该项目将为真菌端粒酶RNP结构功能的分子进化提供重要的见解，并扩大我们对LncRNA(长非编码RNA)生物发生途径的了解。该项目由分子和细胞生物科学部的遗传机制簇和生物科学局的生物基础设施部联合资助。

The telomerase enzyme is crucial for maintaining genome stability and cellular immortality. Elucidating novel telomerase biogenesis pathways and protein-RNA co-evolution in unexplored fungal groups will reveal fundamental principles of enzyme evolution in biology. Notably, the fungi included in this study are known pathogens of amphibians and food crops. This project will involve training of high school and undergraduate students from underrepresented minority groups. These students will have hands-on laboratory experiences that will motivate and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM disciplines. Moreover, the research experience will improve their applications and competitiveness for college and graduate school. Students will also participate in updating and improving our publicly accessible Telomerase Database, which serves as an effective means of disseminating hypothesis- and curiosity-driven research to the general public.Telomerase ribonucleoprotein (RNP) composition and biogenesis pathways are extremely divergent among distinct groups of eukaryotes. The origins and evolutionary connections among telomerase RNAs (TR) from different groups of species remain unresolved. To understand the mechanism driving telomerase RNP diversity, telomerases from distinct representative taxa within eukaryotes need to be studied. This project will employ molecular biology and biochemical approaches for identifying TRs from key fungal species outside of the previously explored Ascomycota phylum. The newly identified TRs will offer novel, exciting models for telomerase RNP structure-function and biogenesis. Collectively, this project will provide crucial insights into the molecular evolution of fungal telomerase RNP structure-function and expand our knowledge of lncRNA (long noncoding RNA) biogenesis pathways.The project is funded jointly by the Genetic Mechanisms Cluster in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences and the Division of Biological Infrastructure in the Directorate for Biological Sciences.