RNA STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

这个子项目是许多利用资源的研究子项目之一 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心拨款提供。子项目的主要支持 而子项目的主要调查员可能是由其他来源提供的， 包括其它NIH来源。 列出的子项目总成本可能 代表子项目使用的中心基础设施的估计数量， 而不是由NCRR赠款提供给子项目或子项目工作人员的直接资金。 我们的研究涉及使用X射线晶体学研究大型催化RNA和RNA-蛋白质复合物的结构和功能。 具体来说，我们正在研究第二组内含子，这是一类自我剪接的核酶，也可以作为移动的逆转录元件。 II组内含子经历两步剪接过程，导致其从前体mRNA中切除并导致相邻外显子的连接。 它们也被认为是剪接体内含子和非LTR逆转录元件的祖先，它们共同组成了约50%的人类基因组。 第二组内含子和剪接体也共享一个保守的催化核心。 剪接体是一个多兆道尔顿的复合体，在真核生物中负责切除核内内含子。 通过研究第二组内含子，我们也可以了解这些更先进的进化遗传元件。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Our research involves studying the structure and function of large catalytic RNAs and RNA-protein complexes using x-ray crystallography. Specifically, we are studying group II introns, which are a class of self-splicing ribozymes that can also function as mobile retroelements. Group II introns undergo a two-step splicing process that leads to their excision from pre-mRNAs and results in the ligation of the adjacent exons. They are also thought to be the ancestors of the spliceosomal introns and non-LTR retroelements, which together comprise ~50% of the human genome. The group II intron and the spliceosome also share a conserved, catalytic core. The spliceosome is a multi-megadalton complex which is responsible for excising nuclear introns in eukaryotes. Through studying group II introns, we can also gain an understanding of these more evolutionarily advanced genetic elements.