A massive attack on how messenger RNA sequence specifies condition-dependent RNA fate

3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) of mRNA are non-coding sequences that are involved in mRNA translation, localization and stability. However, the exact motifs involved in those functions remain largely unknown. The goal of this project is to understand the role of 3'-UTR sequences using model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
The project will use bioinformatics, transcriptomics and synthetic biology approaches to create thousands of chimeric mRNA sequences and to test them in multiple physiological and stress conditions, including measurements of mRNA production, processing, and decay. The obtained data can then be used to identify regulatory signals, for example sequence motifs in the untranslated regions of mRNAs and to create a coherent model of the function of 3'-UTR sequences in gene expression regulation and stress response.
The results of this project will not only impact our understanding of stress response in budding yeast, but also increase our knowledge of post-transcriptional gene expression regulation. They might help us better understand and target pathogenic fungi species or become a foundation for similar studies, including mammalian development and pathology, as well as fine-tune protein expression in budding yeast for pharmaceutical purposes.