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Non-Coding RNA / Telomere and Telomerase / Structural Biology
Telomerase is an RNA-protein enzyme that is responsible for the replication of the ends of chromosomes (called Telomeres) in most eukaryotes. Active telomerase has been detected in actively dividing cells including almost all types of cancer. Cancer cells strongly up-regulate telomerase activity and are dependent on telomerase function for viability. We are interested in using a combination of X-ray crystallography, biochemistry, yeast genetics and in vivo cell biological assays to gain mechanistic insights into biological processes in which telomeres are actively involved, specifically in two areas:(I) Chromosome end replication by telomerase, where our initial goal is to reveal the dynamic interactions within the telomerase RNA as well as between the RNA and the reverse transcriptase subunit during the telomerase reaction cycle; (II) "Chromosomal bouquet" assembly, where we will explore the molecular architecture of the bouquet and study the mechanism that drives the assembly of proteins from chromosome ends and the nuclear envelope, two disparate cellular locations, to form the bouquet. |
Recent Publications |