Ali Kutlu
Pronouns: he/him
Research Mentor(s): Rachel Niederer
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Biological Chemistry / Medicine
Program: UROPF
Session: Session 5 (2:40pm – 3:30pm)
Authors: Ali Kutlu, Rachel Niederer
Abstract
The exact mechanisms that determine the translational efficiency of genes is still not fully understood. This project focuses on the role of non-coding 5’ untranslated region (5’-UTR) sequences in gene translational efficiency. A new, high-throughput method developed by our lab, direct analysis of ribosome targeting (or DART), allows us to analyze non-coding sequence differences that can result in up to 1000 times more protein being produced, depending on the repressing and enhancing sequences present within the 5’-UTR. In this study, we isolate short and long isoforms of 5’-UTR sequences from yeast that showed significantly different ribosome recruitment in the DART assay. By attaching the noncoding sequences to genes that code for Luciferase, we can measure the variance in translational efficiency between the long and short isoforms of the noncoding sequence. Then, by introducing mutations to the long isoform of the non-coding sequence, and comparing Luciferase output between mutants, we hope to identify regulatory features that can affect translational efficiency. Since the translational control of genes affects embryonic patterning, synaptic functions, and is a key reason as to why cancer cells can so aggressively proliferate, this project has great potential to give us foundational knowledge in these areas. Additionally, medicine utilizing mRNA could be greatly enhanced by the utilization of non-coding enhancing sequences that greatly boost protein output.
