Unravelling the Biophysical and Regulatory facets of RNA-protein interactions.

Abstract : RNA-protein interactions are central to many key biological processes. They regulate a plethora of events necessary for the cell to function properly. These interactions are mediated either through structure or sequence or both. However, contrary to the DNA protein interaction, RNA-proteins interactions have been studied scarcely. Here I present a thorough study of the thermodynamic and kinetic aspect of the RNA-protein interactions using various model RNA-peptide pairs. The effect of post-translational modifications of the protein on RNA interaction is discussed in context of arginine methylation and lysine methylation/acetylation. Apart from this the effect of various modified nucleotides insertion (locked nucleic acids and 2`-O methyl) on the RNA-RNA hybridisation and RNA-protein interaction will be assessed in detail. Additionally, the role of various proteins binding to the miRNA loop structure, thereby regulating their biogenesis, and how this RNA-protein complex can act as potential drug target in disease context will be conversed. Finally a novel method of gene regulation using photo-activation of ligand to control the riboswitch activity and its biological implications will be discussed.