Epitranscriptomic mechanisms in endocrine signaling

We recently identified RNA methylation as a key determinant of RNA splicing and gene dosage compensation. Specifically we showed that m6A RNA methylation is required for sex determination, stem cell function and RNA splicing in Drosophila. More recently we used biochemical approaches to characterize the composition of the RNA methylation complex and identified the HAKAI ubiquitin ligase as a key component of the RNA methylation complex. Based on these two studies we now propose to analyze the role of the RNA methylation apparatus in endocrine signalling in mammalian cells. The student will use siRNA, shRNA and/or CRISP-cas9 mediated approaches to disrupt components of the RNA methylation apparatus in cell lines and will use thin layer chromatography, RNA sequencing and meRNA-immuno-precipitations to characterize the role of RNA methylation in endocrine related gene regulation.