Research Projects

secondary signaling, involving cAMP and cGMP, is crucial for organismal development, memory formation, and synaptic plasticity. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) play a role in regulating gene expression by modulating the stability of mRNA. This study explores the RBP-mediated regulation of Phosphodiesterase 2 (PDE-2) and Protein Kinase (KIN-2), key molecules in secondary signaling pathways. Using yeast-three-hybrid and luminescence assays, the researchers found that two RBP proteins, FBF-1 and FBF-2, bind directly to the 3' UTR of PDE-2 and KIN-2. Mutating these binding sites at the 3' UTR of PDE-2 and KIN-2 prevents PUF binding to these targets. Mutating the FBF-1 or 2 binding domains in PDE-2 using CRIsPR technology leads to developmental defects in C. elegans. The grant aims to study the interactions between FBF-1 or 2 and their targets using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism.