Abstract
Eukaryotic cells contain many different RNA species. Nuclear pre-mRNAs and cytoplasmic mRNAs carry genomic information to the protein synthesis machinery, whereas many stable RNA species have important functional roles. The mature, functional forms of these RNA species are generated by post-transcriptional processing, and evidence has been accumulating that there are functional links between the various processing pathways. This indicates that there are regulatory networks that coordinate different stages of RNA metabolism. This article describes the aims and results, to date, of the European RNOMICS project as an example of an integrated approach to investigate these links.
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Acknowledgements
Research in the Beggs and Tollervey laboratories is mainly funded by grants from the Wellcome Trust and by an EC grant for the RNOMICS project.
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DATABASES
Saccharomyces Genome Database
FURTHER INFORMATION
PROTEIN INTERACTION DATABASES
Biomolecular Interaction Network Database
Database of Interacting Proteins
MINT — a Molecular Interactions database
TECHNOLOGIES AND TOOLS
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Davidson College course notes on FRAP
Molecular Probes Invitrogen detection systems
Becker & Hickl GmbH Lifetime Imaging Techniques for Optical Microscopy
Glossary
- FLUORESCENCE LIFETIME IMAGING MICROSCOPY (FLIM).
-
Fluorescence lifetime measurements can yield information on the molecular microenvironment of a fluorescent molecule. Factors such as the binding to macromolecules and the proximity of molecules that can deplete the excited state by FRET can all modify the lifetime of a fluorophore (see Becker & Hickl GmbH Lifetime Imaging Techniques for Optical Microscopy).
- FLUORESCENCE RECOVERY AFTER PHOTOBLEACHING (FRAP).
-
A microscope technique used to measure the movement (for example, diffusion rates) of fluorescently tagged molecules over time in vivo. Specific regions in a cell are irreversibly photobleached using a laser; fluorescence is restored by diffusion of fluorescently tagged unbleached molecules into the bleached area (see Davidson College, Molecular Biology course notes on FRAP).
- FLUORESCENCE RESONANCE ENERGY TRANSFER (FRET).
-
The non-radiative transfer of energy from a donor fluorophore to an acceptor fluorophore that is typically <80 Å away. FRET will only occur between fluorophores in which the emission spectrum of the donor has a significant overlap with the excitation of the acceptor. FRET can be used to detect the co-localization of proteins and other molecules with spatial resolution beyond the limits of conventional optical microscopy (see Molecular Probes Invitrogen detection systems).
- SYNTHETIC-LETHAL SCREENS
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When two yeast mutations are viable individually, but die when combined, they are described as being synthetic lethal. This genetic interaction indicates a functional relationship, either because they affect alternative pathways for a process, or because the gene products might be components of the same pathway or even of the same complex and the defects caused by the mutations are additive. Screening for mutations that are synthetic lethal with a mutation in a factor of interest might identify functionally related factors.
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Beggs, J., Tollervey, D. Crosstalk between RNA metabolic pathways: an RNOMICS approach. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 6, 423–429 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm1648
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrm1648
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