Keck Foundation and Mathers Foundation support work of Georgia Tech researcher Francesca Storici
Two charitable foundations have announced their support of research at the Georgia Institute of Technology that could change the basic understanding of DNA, potentially leading to new treatments for degenerative diseases.
The and the have awarded grants of $1 million and $300,000, respectively, to boost the research of Francesca Storici, professor in the School of Biological Sciences and principal investigator for the projects. Both grants are directed towards decrypting the hidden message of ribonucleotide incorporation in human nuclear DNA.
鈥淲e have a lot to learn about the role ribonucleotides play in the structure and function of human DNA,鈥� said Storici, also a researcher with the at Georgia Tech, whose lab already has contributed much to what the world knows about ribonucleotides, or rNMPs 鈥� the basic building blocks of RNA 鈥� when they are embedded in DNA.
Storici and her collaborators have developed new tools and techniques to find and characterize rNMPs in DNA. Their studies of yeast DNA suggest that rNMPs aren鈥檛 just random 鈥榥oise,鈥� as had been previously alleged, but rather offer a code 鈥� Storici and her colleagues call it 鈥榗ryptic language,鈥� capable of regulating DNA functions.
These new grants will help researchers begin to translate that cryptic language.
鈥淭hese ribonucleotides may represent novel biomarkers for human diseases such as cancer, and other degenerative disorders,鈥� Storici said.
Mistaken Replication
For an organism to grow, its cells must divide. For a cell to divide, its DNA must replicate. In humans, nearly two trillion cells divide every day. DNA polymerases, enzymes that facilitate DNA replication, mis-incorporate 鈥� or incorporate 鈥� rNMPs. These embedded rNMPs are known for changing the character of DNA and posing a threat to genomic stability.
Storici鈥檚 lab developed and tested a technique called ribose-seq that let them determine the whole profile of rNMPs incorporated into yeast DNA. Using ribose-seq, they discovered hotspots and patterns where rNMP insertions accumulate 鈥� accumulations that were assumed to be random 鈥榥oise.鈥�
Based on their recent findings, the researchers hypothesize that some rNMPs form specific motifs, or cryptic words, in human DNA, comprising previously hidden signals for specific metabolic functions of DNA, such as gene expression and replication.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 think this cryptic language of ribonucleotides is random. So, our goal is to decode the cryptic language,鈥� Storici said. 鈥淐urrently, we know nothing about that. There may be a particular sequence, patterns of regularity that we can identify.鈥�
Using ribose-seq to map rNMPs in DNA, via next-generation sequencing, and a computational toolkit they developed called Ribose-Map, the Storici team will build libraries of rNMP sites from a number of human cell types.
Through bioinformatic analyses and computational methods, they intend to identify and decipher the cryptic words of rNMP incorporation, 鈥渟etting the stage to discover rNMPs鈥� role,鈥� Storici said.
The foundations are both supporting the same scope of work, but at different scales, and the researchers will work with different human cell lines for each grant.
The Mathers Foundation will cover work with the Storici lab only. The Keck Foundation is supporting a collaborative effort between Storici and Natasha Jonoska, professor of mathematics at the 麻豆视频. Both Storici and Jonoska are founding members of the Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology (SCMB).
鈥淭hrough the combination of our molecular biology tools at Georgia Tech, with Natasha鈥檚 mathematical expertise in modeling and data analysis, there is great potential here for a big breakthrough 鈥� for developing a greater understanding of the biology of the human genome,鈥� Storici said.
About The G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation
The mission of The G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation is to advance knowledge in the life sciences by sponsoring scientific research that will benefit mankind. Basic scientific research, with potential translational application, is central to this goal. Since commencing grant-making activities in 1982, the Maters Foundation has granted an excess of $350 million. For many years, the Foundation has enjoyed special recognition in the research community in supporting 鈥渂asic鈥� scientific research, realizing that true transformative breakthroughs usually occur after a thorough understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying natural phenomena. More recently, and with the advent of newer investigative methodologies, technology, and tools, the Foundation now embraces innovative translational research proposals.
About the W.鈥疢.鈥疜eck Foundation
The W.鈥疢.鈥疜eck Foundation was established in 1954 in Los Angeles by William Myron Keck, founder of The Superior Oil Company.鈥� One of the nation鈥檚 largest philanthropic organizations, the W.鈥疢.鈥疜eck Foundation supports outstanding science, engineering and medical research.鈥� The Foundation also supports undergraduate education and maintains a program within Southern California to support arts and culture, education, health and community service projects.