Project description
How cells choose which RNAs to keep
Cells constantly produce large amounts of RNA, but most of it is destroyed. Each gene generates essential RNA molecules, along with many short, unstable fragments. This creates a confusing mix inside the nucleus. How do cells know which RNAs to keep and which to discard? The ERC-funded NuRS project aims to investigate this question by studying the ARS2 protein. This protein is crucial for guiding RNAs toward stability or degradation. By mapping how ARS2 interacts with other proteins and transcription factors, researchers endeavour to uncover the rules that determine RNA fate. Understanding this process will clarify how cells manage a large genomic output while protecting essential RNA messages.
Objective
Mammalian genomes are hyperactively transcribed and, paradoxically, a major part of the produced RNA is turned over soon after its synthesis. But the situation is even more bizarre. This is because individual transcription units (TUs), that generate standard functional transcripts, also give rise to a flock of shorter labile isoforms. Overall, this presents an extraordinarily chaotic situation where the expression of functional RNA, both at the genomic- and at the single TU-level, is embedded within a sea of futile transcription products. Being predominantly transcribed by RNA polymerase II, labile RNAs share common features with their functional counterparts, which motivates the basic question of the NuRS proposal: Which molecular mechanisms dictate the sorting of nuclear RNAs into stable, functional ribonucleoprotein particles vs. those destined for degradation?
The major challenge of mechanistically rationalizing RNA sorting has for long been without concrete and testable hypotheses. However, recent breakthroughs by us, and others, have found that the essential ARS2 protein holds binary functions in RNA maturation and degradation. Given its cap-proximal omnipresence on nascent RNA, we hypothesize that transcript fate is governed by the competitive interaction of ARS2 with productive and destructive factors. Through a delineation of the responsible protein complexes and domains, we will dissect the underlying molecular logic, both at steady state and in the dynamic context of stem cell differentiation. This includes exploring our provocative finding that the domain of ARS2, interacting with RNA processing and degradation factors, can also interact with transcription factors. How these transcriptional and post-transcriptional links impinge on RNA sorting will be uncovered, which will disclose the fundamental question of how cells cope with a massive genomic output without erroneously degrading functional RNA or leaving spurious transcripts ignored.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics genomes
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2024-ADG
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8000 Aarhus C
Denmark
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