Research Programmes
Do you know…
- … the scientists in CEITEC will be researching what happens in the brain when a human has realized that they have made a mistake?
- … there will be nearly 800 scientists in CEITEC?
- … in CEITEC we will be researching how the brain works and why some people are motivated and others are not?
- … thanks to CEITEC most of the diagnostic methods will be cheaper, faster and more comfortable for the patients?
- … 63 research teams will be created in CEITEC?
- … there will be 7 research programmes in CEITEC?
- … there will be more than 1,000 modern instruments in CEITEC?
- … more than 31,000 m2 of new infrastructure will be built in CEITEC?
- … more than 1,500 students will use the CEITEC infrastructure per year?
- … there will be 10 shared laboratories created in CEITEC?
- … CEITEC has 6 partners?
- … work will be carried out on self-cleaning surfaces in CEITEC?
- … CEITEC will co-operate closely with the industrial sector?
- … there will also be international scientists working in CEITEC?
- … CEITEC will support the international mobility of scientists?
- … the scientists in CEITEC are developing a subdermal chip which will analyse some life functions and will inform doctors from a distance?
- … the scientists in CEITEC are working on the development of a device which will enable physiotherapy from a distance?
- … the scientists at CEITEC are working on the development of biosensors?
- … CEITEC will be created in the south-Moravian city of Brno?
RNA Quality Control
Doc. Mgr. Štěpánka Vaňáčová, Ph.D.
Research Group Leader
THEMATIC RESEARCH FOCUS
RESEARCH AREAS
- Mechanisms of nuclear RNA surveillance
- Mechanisms and function of noncanonical polyadenylation
- RNA degradation
MAIN OBJECTIVES
- Investigation of the role of RNA in development and human diseases.
- Biochemical and structural characterisation of RNA in eukaryotic cells.
CONTENT OF RESEARCH
RNA is essential for cell survival. It is not only a messenger between the genomes and proteomes but also carries out or participates in many functions such as RNA processing and protein translation, acting as structural scaff olds, transporters, gene regulators and biocatalysts. Eukaryotic cells produce diverse types of RNAs. Most if not all are synthesised in a form of a precursor that needs to be posttranscriptionally processed and/or modifi ed in order to form mature functional molecules. In yeast, the nuclear RNA maturation and stability is under the strict control of RNA surveillance by the nuclear exosome and its cofactors the TRAMP4 and TRAMP5 noncanonical polyadenylation complexes and the Nrd1 RNA binding complex.
We aim to clarify molecular mechanisms underlying RNA quality control and degradation in eukaryotic cells by the investigation of the detailed biochemical principles of RNA recognition, processing and degradation. These include (1) in-depth characterisation of the biochemistry of the TRAMP4 complex; (2) identifi cation of new RNA substrates for TRAMP in yeast and study of the functional consequences of their targeting; (3) examination of the interplay among the exosome, TRAMP and Nrd1 complexes; (4) structural and biochemical characterisation of proteins involved the recognition of aberrant RNAs in eukaryotic cells; (5) integration of the knowledge obtained from yeast systems to investigate mechanisms and functions of noncanonical polyadenylation and uridylation in mammalian cells. The combined knowledge from the yeast noncanonical polyadenylation and from the mammalian terminal uridylation will signifi cantly improve our understanding of eukaryotic pathways regulating gene expression via noncoding RNAs. We use a combination of biochemical, genetic, and structural methods to unravel the molecular mechanism of the eukaryotic RNA surveillance.
KEY RESEARCH EQUIPMENT
PLANNED RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE
Technology Units
Laboratory of protein expression in eukaryotic cells
CURRENT RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE
The research group is currently equipped with the instrumentation for yeast and bacterial cell culture, DNA, RNA and protein expression and purifi cation including HPLC and FPLC apparatuses, a deep freezer, and other basic equipment for molecular biology and biochemistry work. It has been licensed to work with ionising radiation.
MAIN PROJECTS
- Polyadenylation and mechanisms of nuclear RNA quality control, EMBO Young Investigator Programme / Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, 2008-2012, Š. Vaňačova, Masaryk University.
- Functional and biochemical characterization of Dis3L2, the third mammalian homolog of the key yeast exosome nuclease Dis3p (GAP305/11/1095), Czech Science Foundation, 2011-2014, Š. Vaňačova, Masaryk University.
- Polyadenylation and mechanisms of nuclear RNA quality kontrol (084316/Z/07/Z), Wellcome Trust, 2008-2013, Š. Vaňačova, Masaryk University.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
- HOBOR, F., PERGOLI, R., KUBICEK, K., HROSSOVA, D., BACIKOVA, V., ZIMMERMANN, M., PASULKA, J., HOFR, C., VANACOVA, S., STEFL, R. Recognition of transcription termination signal by the nuclear polyadenylated RNA-binding (NAB) 3 protein. J. Biol. Chem. 2011, 286, p. 3645-57.
- PAOLO, S., S., VANACOVA, S., SCHENK, L., SCHERRER, T., BLANK, D., KELLER, W., GERBER, A., P. Distinct roles of non-canonical poly(A) polymerases in RNA metabolism. PLoS Genet. 2009, 5(7): e1000555.
- VANACOVA, S., STEFL, R. The exosome and RNA quality control in the nucleus. EMBO. 2007, 8, p. 651-657.
- CARLTON, J., M., HIRT, R., P., SILVA, J., C. et all. Draft genome sequence of the sexually transmitted pathogen Trichomonas vaginalis. Science. 2007, 315, p. 207-212.
- VANACOVA, S., WEIHONG, Y., CARLTON, J., M., JOHNSON, P., J. Spliceosomal introns in a deep-branching eukaryote. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA. 2005, 102, p. 4430-4435.
EUROPEAN UNION
