RNA Modifications in Cellular Response Pathways and Infectious Disease

There are >100 different ribonucleoside structures identified in the tRNA and rRNA of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Using a novel mass spectrometry-based platform for identifying and quantifying all of the RNA modifications in an organism, we recently discovered that these modifications function as a system to control translation of critical proteins in response to cell stimuli and that their biosynthetic pathways are critical to cell survival in response to toxic exposures. We have now embarked on a study of RNA modifications in variety of pathogenic microbes, including Helicobacter, mycobacteria (tuberculosis) and malarial parasites. The goal is to characterize the role of RNA modifications in the response of microbial pathogens to chemical mediators of inflammation generated during the human immune response.