Regulation of alternate transcript isoforms by microRNAs
Gene expression is a complex phenomenon whereby the regulation steps involve the interplay of diverse strategies so as to ensure the proper and desired expression state of a gene by the cell. These regulation steps involve various mechanisms such as alternate polyadenylation and splicing, regulation by microRNAs, presence and action of various transcriptional repressors acting in cis- or trans to the referred gene etc.
A part of my doctoral research work aims to understand the regulation of altenatively polyadenylated transcript variant of the mouse cytplasmic beta-actin gene. Taking leads from my senior Tanay Ghosh's observation that the highly conserved beta-actin gene of mice exists as two alternatively polyadenylated transcript isoforms I sought to look for microRNA targets in them. As the literature suggests, often one of the alternatively polyadenylated transcript isoform is regulated by one or several microRNAs which might ensure a spatio-tenporal expression of the transcript or make keep a particular transcript isoform in a transcriptionally active or repressed stae as per developmental timing or other cellular requirements (literature has well documented evidences as examples). Upon experimental verification we at our lab were able to show that the longer transcript isoform of the mouse cytoplasmic beta-actin gene is regulated by a microRNA where unlike its conventional role the microRNA upregulated the target gene. Further mechanistic insights to study the fuctional aspects of such regulation are needed and experiments required to be done to further elucidate the requirement , relevance and biological intricacies of the complex phenomenon of regulation of alternate transcript isoforms
For further details regarding the various methods and protocols used for this study please contact me directly.
A part of my doctoral research work aims to understand the regulation of altenatively polyadenylated transcript variant of the mouse cytplasmic beta-actin gene. Taking leads from my senior Tanay Ghosh's observation that the highly conserved beta-actin gene of mice exists as two alternatively polyadenylated transcript isoforms I sought to look for microRNA targets in them. As the literature suggests, often one of the alternatively polyadenylated transcript isoform is regulated by one or several microRNAs which might ensure a spatio-tenporal expression of the transcript or make keep a particular transcript isoform in a transcriptionally active or repressed stae as per developmental timing or other cellular requirements (literature has well documented evidences as examples). Upon experimental verification we at our lab were able to show that the longer transcript isoform of the mouse cytoplasmic beta-actin gene is regulated by a microRNA where unlike its conventional role the microRNA upregulated the target gene. Further mechanistic insights to study the fuctional aspects of such regulation are needed and experiments required to be done to further elucidate the requirement , relevance and biological intricacies of the complex phenomenon of regulation of alternate transcript isoforms
For further details regarding the various methods and protocols used for this study please contact me directly.
