Kaiser Lab
Goethe Universität Frankfurt
The central dogma of molecular biology states that DNA is the storage of the genetic code, which is transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) and translated into proteins with the help of transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA)
DetailsThis approach uses stable isotope labeling of RNA nucleosides, followed by RNA purification (e.g. tRNA, rRNA, mRNA) for absolute quantification by high sensitivity mass spectrometry. This enables the discrimination of RNA modification from new transcripts and modifications from already existing ones in vivo.
tRNAs are the most intensively modified RNAs with up to 16 modified residues (around 20% of the complete tRNA). Although the dynamic nature of tRNA modifications is crucial to cell survival, Loss or creation of certain RNA modifications are involved in cancer, neuronal diseases and mitochondrial diseases.
Collaborators: Dr. Alex Vicente, Gregor Ammann, Max Berg, Hagen Wesseling, Matthias Brandl
Nucleic Acids are highly reactive molecules with various positions that act als electrophiles or nucleophiles. While this is true for the canonical nucleotides, it is true and even more important for RNA modifications, such as pseudouridine and thiolated nucleosides.
Our genetic code is linked to the cellular workforce, proteins, through the interplay of three nucleic acids: mRNA, tRNA and rRNA. All 3 RNAs are substantially modified and the insertion of the correct modification can be inhibited by antimetabolites. Antimetabolites are molecules that mimick nucleobases or nucleos/tide structures and they are used in e.g. cancer therapy and as antimicrobial antibiotics. Yet, only little is known how antimetabolites impact the human epitranscriptome.
