Weave: Österreich - Belgien - Deutschland - Luxemburg - Polen - Schweiz - Slowenien - Tschechien
Disciplines
Biology (34%); Computer Sciences (33%); Medical-Theoretical Sciences, Pharmacy (33%)
Keywords
RNA-modifications,
Epitranscriptomics,
Single-Molecule Sequencing,
Innate Immunity,
Adenosine Deamination,
Modification Crosstalk
Abstract
RNA molecules can be chemically modified in many different ways. These chemical
modifications control important functional aspects of RNA, like immunogenicity, stability,
coding information, or translatability. Today, more than 150 chemical modifications of RNA
are known to exist. Still, only very few can be accurately detected by high-throughput
methods.
Adenosine to inosine conversion is an abundant modification found in RNA. While we do
know where inosines can be found in RNA, we do not know the linear arrangement of
inosines along individual RNA molecules. Since inosines are required to prevent an immune
response against RNA, the linear arrangement of inosines within single molecules is likely
very important. In this project we will use advanced sequencing technologies to decipher
the occurrence of inosines and other RNA modifications along single molecules.