Hammond, Gifty Naa Ayeley. Defining the nanoRNA regulon and the mechanism by which gene expression is controlled and manifested. Retrieved from https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T3G73BSF
DescriptionGene transcription is mediated by the enzyme RNA polymerase (RNAP). RNAP is a multi subunit nucleotidyl transferase that polymerizes ribonucleotides at the 3’ end of an RNA transcript. Transcription by RNAP typically occurs by de novo transcription initiation whereby nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) initiate transcription. Small RNAs of approximately 2-5 nucleotides have long been known to successfully prime transcription in vitro. In published work, the Nickels lab has established that these small RNAs (nanoRNAs) successfully compete with NTPs for transcription priming of some genes in vivo. NanoRNA-mediated priming alters the position of transcription initiation and possibly has a vital role in the regulation of gene expression. The complete set of genes whose expression is affected by nanoRNA-mediated priming remains to be elucidated. I propose to define the nanoRNA regulon and the mode by which gene expression is controlled and manifested. I will use a variety of molecular and biochemical in vivo and in vitro methods to determine the nanoRNA-mediated priming impact on gene expression.