Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Information essential for life is stored on the DNA in units called genes. Each gene contains the information for the production of one protein, some which are required at all times and others only under certain conditions. Many human diseases result from changes in the levels of protein production. For example, cancer often exhibits increased production of proteins that prolong the life of a cell. As a result, control of protein production is a critical process for maintenance of normal cellular function, and for maintenance of health and prevention of disease. All protein production starts with transcription during which a copy of the gene is made to avoid damaging the DNA itself. RNA Polymerase II the enzyme responsible for the transcription of the majority of genes contains an extended domain called the C-terminal domain (CTD). The CTD functions like a port where proteins dock at different stages of transcription. How the CTD ensures that only the correct proteins bind to it is by remodeling its shape, so that only the correctly shaped proteins fit at a given time. Fcp1 is a protein that aids in the CTD remodeling process. While the role of Fcp1 is well characterized, how Fcp1 knows when to exert its function remains unknown and will be the focus of my PhD thesis. Already I have identified novel Fcp1 regulators. My goal is to determine how these candidates leads to CTD remodeling and general transcription defects. Additionally, I will determine if the regulatory effect is gene specific or global in order to determine the type of regulation taking place. This work will contribute to the understanding of how the transcription process is regulated by Fcp1. Understanding how this essential process works is important because many human diseases are caused by alterations to transcription. By building on this knowledge we can hope to one day understand general and specific modes of the transcription regulation in order to develop therapies for human diseases.