Titre de la Présentation :
Broad functional implications of mRNA localization pathways
Date / Heure / Emplacement :
Jeudi, 10 novembre 2011 – 16:00
Salle 232, Édifice Leacock
McGill University
855 Sherbrooke Ouest
Affiliation :
IRCM
URL :
Éric Lécuyer
Abstract :
Trafficking of mRNAs to specific regions of the cell prior to translation represents an important, yet poorly understood, mechanism for regulating cellular protein distribution. In a previous global microscopy-based study of mRNA localization in Drosophila, we found that most mRNAs are subcellularly localized during development in patterns that broadly correlate with subsequent protein distribution, suggesting that mRNA trafficking plays a key role in regulation protein network assembly and function. Transcript targeting is generally thought to be controlled by cis-elements residing in the mRNA molecule, which are recognised by specific transport machineries. However, mRNA trafficking pathways and their broad impact on cellular function remain poorly characterized. The overall goal of our laboratory is to understand how mRNA localization impacts cellular organization, with a particular focus on the study of transcripts that localize to chromatin/nuclei and the cell-division apparatus. By combining the versatility of Drosophila genetics, high-resolution molecular imaging analysis, and functional genomics approaches, we aim to dissect the genetic pathways and molecular mechanisms that control mRNA trafficking and to assess their functional impact on the cell.