RNA Structure, Function, and Biology

Undergraduate / Graduate

Students will learn principles of RNA structure and function, RNA catalysis, and RNA molecular cell biology as they relate to the field of RNA metabolism. In recent years it has become apparent that much of an organisms genome is transcribed, yielding a far more expansive collection of RNA molecules than previously thought: many of these RNAs are classic messenger RNAs that code for proteins but many serve functions other than protein coding (noncoding RNAs). These RNAs are processed, modified, and usually interact with RNA binding proteins (RBPs) to form ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes. We will consider emerging themes in noncoding RNA biology and investigate methods for interrogating their cellular structure and function.