Cancer Biology & Genetics Program
The Christine Mayr Lab
Research
Professor
Control of protein activity through RNA-induced protein conformation changes
My laboratory studies mRNA functions that go beyond the transmission of the genetic code. We discovered that 3’ untranslated regions regulate protein complex assembly and control protein functions. Mechanistically, we found that 3′UTRs control translation in mRNA-rich, constitutively expressed cytoplasmic condensate networks, including TIS granules and the FXR1 network. These compartments enable widespread binding of mRNAs to transcription factors and enzymes through a new and widespread RNA-binding domain located in their intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). We found that RNA binding changes the conformational states of the IDRs to control protein complex assembly and protein activity.
Going forward, we will study the molecular mechanism and functional scope of RNA-induced activation of proteins and will develop tools to monitor RNA-induced protein conformation changes and to control protein activity through exogenous RNA. To do so, we take a multidisciplinary approach and use molecular biology and biophysics, biochemistry and chemical biology, high-resolution imaging, and computational methods to study how RNA regulates protein activity. We envision that protein activity regulation through RNA-induced conformational changes is similar in scale and scope to post-translational modifications.
If you are interested in this topic, please contact me as we have open positions for postdocs and graduate students from diverse backgrounds.
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People
Christine Mayr, MD, PhD
Professor
- Molecular and cell biologist Christine Mayr studies how 3′UTRs regulate protein functions and how mRNAs contribute to cytoplasmic organization.
- MD, Free University Berlin
- PhD, Humboldt University Berlin
- [email protected]
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Members
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PhD student, Tri-I PhD Program in Computational Biology & Medicine
Graduate Student
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Administrative Assistant
Lab Alumni
Postdoctoral Fellow
Graduate Student
Graduate Student, Tri-I CBM Program
Postdoctoral Fellow
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Master Student
Research Technician
Postdoctoral Fellow
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Postdoctoral Fellow
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Research technician
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research Technician
Administrative Assistant
Postdoctoral Fellow
Lab Affiliations
Achievements
- Luise and Allston Boyer Young Investigator Award for Basic Research (2019)
- NIH Director’s Pioneer Award (2016)
- Pershing Square Sohn Prize for Young Investigators in Cancer Research (2015)
- Damon Runyon-Rachleff Innovation Award, Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (2012)
- Selected as ‘Cell Scientist to watch’ by Journal of Cell Science (2015)
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- Science Signaling Breakthrough of the year (2013)
