![Focusing on RNA-protein Interactions]()
Gene expression relies on interactions between messenger RNA molecules and RNA-binding proteins. Insufficient resolution means that today’s microscopes tend to “see” molecular interactions that actually don’t occur. In a paper published on February 21 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Robert Singer, Ph.D., along with Carolina Eliscovich, Ph.D., and Shailesh Shenoy, B.S., describe their high-resolution methodology for detecting whether two molecules are physically interacting or are close to each other merely due to chance. Surprisingly, the methodology showed that certain proteins thought to bind mRNAs actually don’t. The new methodology could reveal dysfunctional RNA-protein interactions that can cause genetic disorders including neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Dr. Singer is professor and co-chair of anatomy & structural biology, as well as co-director of the Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center and of the Integrated Imaging Program. He also is professor in the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience and of cell biology and the Harold and Muriel Block Chair in anatomy & structural biology.
Posted on: Monday, March 06, 2017