Start Date
18-12-2020 9:15 AM
Description
In this project, I will be testing the validity of past experiments that measure ribosomal frameshifting efficiency. This is important because it will show the next step forward in a series of experiments that could help us to learn more about translation of viral proteins and its mechanisms. In prior experiments, there was a discrepancy between experiments done in a cell and experiments done in a test tube, and my work will try to determine why this occurred. We hypothesize that the discrepancy is due to a unique molecule found in cells that affects protein production. In this project, it is proposed that frameshift efficiency will be able to be measured by in vitro methods using known plasmids and known restriction enzymes. With a frameshift assay, we will be able to analyze the efficiency of frameshifts based on the size of the presence of fluorescence, revealing the efficiency with which the frameshift occurred. This will then be compared to previous data to see the accuracy of previous frameshift efficiency measurements. This comparison will help determine the next steps for the lab and our collaborators.
Testing the validity of past experiments relating to ribosomal frameshifting
In this project, I will be testing the validity of past experiments that measure ribosomal frameshifting efficiency. This is important because it will show the next step forward in a series of experiments that could help us to learn more about translation of viral proteins and its mechanisms. In prior experiments, there was a discrepancy between experiments done in a cell and experiments done in a test tube, and my work will try to determine why this occurred. We hypothesize that the discrepancy is due to a unique molecule found in cells that affects protein production. In this project, it is proposed that frameshift efficiency will be able to be measured by in vitro methods using known plasmids and known restriction enzymes. With a frameshift assay, we will be able to analyze the efficiency of frameshifts based on the size of the presence of fluorescence, revealing the efficiency with which the frameshift occurred. This will then be compared to previous data to see the accuracy of previous frameshift efficiency measurements. This comparison will help determine the next steps for the lab and our collaborators.
Comments
Mentor: Kathryn Mouzakis