Virus Disassembly of P-bodies

We are interested in mechanisms that regulate Processing Body (P-body) formation in cells. P-bodies are another type of RNA granule that condenses translationally silenced mRNAs and function as key structures that regulate the mRNA cycle. Translational silencing by microRNAs is thought to regulate expression of about 50 percent of human genes, and function by through P-body pathways.

We have also shown that P-bodies are disrupted in virus-infected cells and are currently focusing on virus-induced degradation of three key components of PBs, Xrn1, Dcp1a and PAN3, all of which regulate mRNA decay in cells.