The human pol II-transcribed snRNA genes; a model for gene-type specific transcription.

我们的染色体中包含的基因由DNA组成，并指导我们体内细胞生存和正常运作所需的所有成分的生产。这被称为基因的“表达”。为了确保在正确的时间和正确的地点生产适当的产品，基因表达在许多水平上受到调控。这些控制措施的失败可能会导致疾病，因为产品出现在错误的地方和/或错误的时间。基因表达的第一步是将基因的DNA复制成RNA，RNA是一种类似的分子类型。这个过程被称为转录，通常RNA产物必须经过修饰或加工才能翻译成蛋白质。也可以控制这种加工，以确定何时何地产生基因产物。我们正在研究一组独特的基因的表达，snRNA基因，其产物有助于处理编码蛋白质的RNA（称为信使RNA），因此在我们大多数基因的表达过程中执行基本任务。snRNA基因有自己的特殊表达机制，但尚未完全了解。确切地了解snRNA基因的表达是如何控制的，对于了解我们的细胞在健康和疾病中的功能至关重要。例如，癌细胞需要制造更多的snRNA基因产物来快速分裂。我们已经开发了一系列的“最先进的”技术来回答有关这些基因表达调控的突出问题。我们问题的答案也将有助于理解蛋白质编码基因的表达是如何控制的。

The genes contained in our chromosomes are composed of DNA and direct the production of all the components necessary for the cells within our bodies to survive and function correctly. This is known as 'expression' of the gene. To ensure that the appropriate products are made at the right time and in the right place, gene expression is regulated at many levels. Failure of these controls can result in disease due to the appearance of a product in the wrong place and/or at the wrong time. The first step in gene expression is to copy the DNA of a gene into RNA, which is a similar type of molecule. This process is known as transcription and often the RNA product must be modified or processed before it can be translated into protein. This processing can also be controlled to determine when and where gene products are made. We are studying the expression of a distinct set of genes, the snRNA genes, whose products help to process the RNAs that code for protein (known as messenger RNAs) and therefore perform fundamental tasks during expression of most of our genes. The snRNA genes have their own specialised expression mechanisms that are not yet fully understood. Understanding exactly how expression of snRNA genes is controlled is critical to understanding how our cells function in health and disease. For example, cancer cells need to make more of the products of snRNA genes to rapidly divide. We have developed a range of "state of the art" techniques to answer the outstanding questions about regulation of expression of these genes. The answers to our questions will also help to understand how expression of protein-coding genes is controlled.