Structure investigations of export competent messenger ribonucleoproteins

• Applicant: Dr. André Eichert
• Subject Area: Structural Biology
• Term: from 2011 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 201909884

Export of messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) is a central process during protein biosynthesis. Thereby mRNAs are transported from the transcription site in the nucleus to the ribosome in the cytoplasm. Nuclear export depends on the association of mRNAs with certain proteins, termed export factors. These proteins facilitate translocation through the nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), the only connections between the two cellular compartments.The aim of this project is the investigation of RNA-protein complexes that play crucial roles in the export of mRNAs from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. The structural investigations shall be conducted by X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy. The analyses will be focused on interactions of these proteins with RNA as well as dynamics and mechanisms of export competent mRNP assembly.Since nuclear export of mRNAs is a central regulatory mechanism in pretranscriptional quality control of gene products and since this pathway is hijacked by viruses, the results of this project shall be the basis for future diagnostic and therapeutic applications in this field.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Dr. Günter Blobel (†)