Award details

Non-coding RNA function

Reference	BBS/E/B/0000L181
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Peter Fraser
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Babraham Institute
Department	Babraham Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	59,920
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2006
End date	17/04/2009
Duration	36 months

Abstract

The genetic determination of sex in humans, as in most mammals, is based on the presence of a pair of so-called sex chromosomes termed the X- and Y-chromosome. In addition to 23 pairs of somatic chromosomes, males carry one X- and one Y-chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes. To avoid a situation, in which female cells express twice the amount of gene products encoded on the X-chromosome compared to male cells, a process known as dosage compensation corrects the imbalance. In humans, dosage compensation is achieved by almost complete silencing of one of the X-chromosomes in female cells. The silenced X-chromosome condenses into a highly compact structure in the cell nucleus and most of the genes on the chromosome are not expressed. Initiation of X-chromosome silencing correlates with expression of the Xist gene locus. The Xi-specific transcript of this locus (Xist) is transcribed exclusively on the inactive copy of the X-chromosome. The Xist RNA does not contain genomic instructions for protein production, as do most RNA molecules. Instead Xist appears to function by interacting with the inactive X chromosome, in fact it is required for initiation of the dosage compensation process. This project will attempt to characterize Xist RNA interaction sites on the inactive X chromosome in female cells.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Genes & Developmental Biology (GDB)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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