Oncogenic herpesviruses such as Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus restrict cellular gene expression to dampen immune responses, while simultaneously stealing the cell’s machinery to express viral genes. This restriction initiates through accelerated mRNA decay in the cytoplasm, which subsequently induces broad repression of cellular mRNA synthesis both via relocalization of RNA binding proteins and turnover of RNA polymerase subunits. Herpesviruses, which are among the most successful human pathogens, have evolved to escape this repression and maintain robust viral transcription.
Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) are ancient macromolecules, likely the first molecules capable of heredity. Although RNAs of different sizes, sequences, and functions have been studied intensely over the past six decades, particular attention has been given to messenger (m)RNAs, the templates for protein synthesis. Interest in noncoding (nc)RNAs, which comprise a far larger and more diverse segment of the RNA family, has also escalated in recent years, especially as many ncRNAs, such as microRNAs and long noncoding (lnc)RNAs, directly influence protein expression programs.
Jessica Treisman, Ph.D. NYU Grossman School of Medicine
The Drosophila corneal lens is a precisely curved structure made entirely of apical extracellular matrix that resembles the mammalian cornea in its ability to focus light onto the photoreceptors. The non-neuronal cone and pigment cells that secrete the corneal lens differentiate from the same progenitor cells in the eye imaginal disc as the photoreceptors. Photoreceptor differentiation requires a zinc finger transcription factor, Glass.
Liqun Luo, Ph.D. Stanford University School of Medicine
Developing brains use a limited number of molecules to specify connection specificity of a much larger number of neurons and synapses. How is this feat achieved? I will first describe our work using the Drosophila olfactory circuit as a model to address this question. I will then discuss functions of homologs of wiring molecules we identified in the fly olfactory circuits in determining wiring specificity of the mouse hippocampal and other circuits.
Objectives:
*To appreciate the importance of wiring specificity in neural circuit function
Two remarkable feats of multicellular organisms are generation of many distinct cell types via asymmetric cell division and transmission of the germline genome to the next generation, essentially in eternity. Studying these processes using the Drosophila male germline as a model system has led us to venture into new areas of study, such as functions of satellite DNA, a 'genomic junk,' and how they might be involved in speciation.
Dr. Garcia will discuss insights into immunoreceptor signaling and therapeutic modulation based on structure-based protein engineering. By mainly focusing on cytokine systems but will also delve into other axes. To show the overall principles focus on the exploitation of induced proximity at the cell surface to therapeutically manipulate signaling.
Cellular metabolism is essential for cellular and tissue function. Thus, it is not surprising that numerous diseases are associated with metabolic dysfunction. Metabolic responses are highly complex and dynamic in space and time over a wide range of scales. It is challenging to capture this important aspect of metabolic function without introducing artifacts using traditional radiographic, exogenous label, or mass-spectroscopy-based imaging approaches. Label-free, non-linear optical imaging modalities offer unique opportunities to overcome at least partially some of these challenges.
The systemic autoinflammatory diseases are a group of disorders characterized by seemingly unprovoked fever and inflammation, without the high-titer autoantibodies or antigen-specific T cells typically seen in autoimmune diseases. They are now recognized as disorders of the phylogenetically ancient innate branch of the immune system. Studies of monogenic autoinflammatory diseases have provided key insights into the molecular building blocks and regulation of human innate immunity and have been the basis for life-changing targeted therapies for a broad group of human illnesses.
Our genomes encode ~5000 integral membrane proteins. These proteins are essential for sensing the environment, communication with other cells, transport of nutrients and metabolites, neurotransmission, and countless other physiologic processes. Newly made membrane proteins are first inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. The majority of these membrane proteins have to be weaved back and forth multiple times across the lipid bilayer, folded into a functional three-dimensional structure, and sometimes assembled with other subunits.
This page was last updated on Friday, February 10, 2023
