Co-evolution of transposons and RNA processing

Dr. Tuğçe Aktaş

 

The research in Aktas Lab focuses on understanding the co-evolution of transposable elements and RNA processing. RNA splicing is a eukaryotic innovation and even though the spliceosome machinery is mostly conserved from yeast to humans, the number, length and distribution of introns is highly variable and can rapidly change during evolution. One of the contributing factors to this diversity is the expansion of transposable elements (TEs) that make up 47% of human introns. During mRNA synthesis, intronic TEs are transcribed along with their host genes but rarely contribute to the final mRNA product because they are spliced out and degraded. Interestingly, TEs are an abundant source of RNA-processing signals through which they can create new introns and chimeric transcripts. Moreover, due to their repetitive nature TEs can fold into unusual secondary structures that act as triggers for the innate immune system. The ability to recognize TE RNA as non-self has deep evolutionary roots and influence the organization and composition of eukaryotic genomes as well as the activity of innate immune systems. If TEs are so deleterious, then why and how do we tolerate so many TEs in our (transcribed) genome? How did TEs reach such massive copy numbers? The Aktas Lab is motivated by these fundamental questions and works on several aspects of transposon-host interactions and their impact on the evolution and wiring of post-transcriptional RNA processing networks.

 

For more information, visit the website of the Aktas lab (Quantitative RNA biology).