Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
Université du Québec à Montréal
$41,000.00
The role of nucleolar factors in ribosome biogenesis
FY 2009-10
Summary
Ribosomes are the organelles that synthesize proteins in all living organisms. These "machines" are constituted of large RNA molecules and multiple proteins. The key components of ribosomes are the ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) as they are directly involved in the different steps of protein synthesis.
The biogenesis of ribosomes is a major cellular process, and it is a prerequisite for cells to grow in size and proliferate. In eukaryotes, this process takes place in the nucleolus, a prominent compartment of the cell nucleus. The majority of nucleolar factors actually function at various steps of the intricate pathway that leads to the production of mature rRNAs.
My laboratory is interested in the cellular and molecular events that lead to the production of mature rRNAs. More specifically, we focus on the cleavage reactions that remove extra sequences from precursor rRNA molecules. Our objective is to define the role of nucleolar factors that interact with small nucleolar ribonucleoproteins that are essential for the cleavage reactions.
We are using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system to take advantage of its well-characterized genetic, biochemical and molecular biology tools. We are currently studying the protein Dbp4 and two other factors that apparently help Dbp4 in its function. Dbp4 is a putative RNA helicase that could act as a molecular motor to rearrange RNA-RNA or RNA-protein interactions during the cleavage steps. Importantly, Dbp4 and its associated factors are conserved among species and they are essential for growth, indicating that they perform crucial cellular functions. Human homologues of these proteins are involved in embryonic development and cancer (the homologue of Dbp4, DDX10, has recently been identified as a "cancer gene"). Understanding how these three proteins function in the cell will contribute to the elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying critical cellular processes in all eukaryotes and open new avenues for the treatment of human diseases.
Program
Discovery Grants Program - Individual
Recipient
Location
Quebec, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
249792-2009
Name nom
Dragon, François
Department département
Sciences biologiques
Organization id
57
Institution établissement
Université du Québec à Montréal
Province en
Québec
Province fr
Québec
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2009
Competition year année de concours
2009
Award amount
41000
Program id
RGPIN
Program nane en
Discovery Grants Program - Individual
Program name fr
Programme de subventions à la découverte - individuelles
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
33
Committee name en
Molec. & Develop. Genetics
Committee name fr
Gén. moléculaire et dévelop.
Area of application code
1200
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application fr
Avancement des connaissances
Research subject code
5300
Research subject group en
Molecular biology
Research subject group fr
Biologie moléculaire
Research subject en
Molecular biology
Research subject fr
Biologie moléculaire
Partie
1
Nb partie
5
Application title
The role of nucleolar factors in ribosome biogenesis
Keyword
NA
Application summary
Ribosomes are the organelles that synthesize proteins in all living organisms. These "machines" are constituted of large RNA molecules and multiple proteins. The key components of ribosomes are the ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) as they are directly involved in the different steps of protein synthesis.
The biogenesis of ribosomes is a major cellular process, and it is a prerequisite for cells to grow in size and proliferate. In eukaryotes, this process takes place in the nucleolus, a prominent compartment of the cell nucleus. The majority of nucleolar factors actually function at various steps of the intricate pathway that leads to the production of mature rRNAs.
My laboratory is interested in the cellular and molecular events that lead to the production of mature rRNAs. More specifically, we focus on the cleavage reactions that remove extra sequences from precursor rRNA molecules. Our objective is to define the role of nucleolar factors that interact with small nucleolar ribonucleoproteins that are essential for the cleavage reactions.
We are using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model system to take advantage of its well-characterized genetic, biochemical and molecular biology tools. We are currently studying the protein Dbp4 and two other factors that apparently help Dbp4 in its function. Dbp4 is a putative RNA helicase that could act as a molecular motor to rearrange RNA-RNA or RNA-protein interactions during the cleavage steps. Importantly, Dbp4 and its associated factors are conserved among species and they are essential for growth, indicating that they perform crucial cellular functions. Human homologues of these proteins are involved in embryonic development and cancer (the homologue of Dbp4, DDX10, has recently been identified as a "cancer gene"). Understanding how these three proteins function in the cell will contribute to the elucidation of molecular mechanisms underlying critical cellular processes in all eukaryotes and open new avenues for the treatment of human diseases.
