Molecular mechanisms of Superkiller-like helicases (A08)

• Subject Area: Biochemistry
• Term: from 2018 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 369799452

Increasing evidence implicates the RNA exosome, a major complex in cellular RNA decay mechanisms, as a player in viral immunity and autoimmunity. The RNA exosome is a powerful RNA-degrading machine, but in itself lacks specificity. Superkiller-like helicases are believed to assist the exosome by recognizing specific RNAs and targeting them for degradation, but the molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. In this project, we will study Superkiller-like helicases that have been linked to the regulation of RIGI-like receptors, aiming to understand how they function at the molecular level and the basis for their malfunction in disease mutants.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 237: Nucleic Acid Immunity
• Applicant Institution: Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
• Project Head: Professorin Dr. Elena Conti, until 12/2022