Date of Completion
5-6-2020
Degree Type
Honors Thesis
Discipline
Biology (BIOL)
First Advisor
Dr. Sarah Mitchell
Abstract
RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are critical in regulating gene expression and many cellular functions. Recent proteome-wide studies have revealed hundreds of novel RBPs showing new modes of binding. A subset of RBPs known as aminoacyl tRNA synthetases (aaRS) catalyze the covalent ligation of an amino acid with its corresponding tRNA in the synthesis of aminoacyl-tRNAs. A recent study found a significant number of novel mRNA-binding proteins to be cytosolic aaRS. The novel functions of RBPs and aaRS are important to consider for their potential relationships to human disease pathology. Dominant intermediate Charcot Marie Tooth type C, also known as DI-CMTC, is in part caused by mutations in the YARS gene that encodes tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase and mutations in the HARS gene that encodes histidyl-tRNA synthetase. This project investigates the binding patterns of histidyl and tyrosyl proteins within yeast strains to begin to understand how these disrupted noncanonical functions of aaRS may cause inhibited protein translation and result in CMT phenotypes.
Recommended Citation
Ryan, Hallie G. and Mitchell, Sarah, "Investigating the Link between mRNA Binding to Hts1/Tys1 tRNA Synthetases and Charcot Marie Tooth Neuropathy" (2020). Honors Thesis. 416.
https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/honors-thesis/416
