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BBSRC DTA Studentship: Function of non-coding RNA transcription in V(D)J recombination

Reference	BBS/E/B/0000L711
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Anne Corcoran
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Babraham Institute
Department	Babraham Institute Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	137,304
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/10/2006
End date	31/12/2010
Duration	51 months

Abstract

This project aims to understand the processes that open up large DNA sequences to enable genes to be expressed (the copying of information encoded in a gene into RNA by a process called transcription). We are studying one of the largest known gene families, the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus, which contains 200 genes which are cut and pasted together in many different ways to make the millions of antibodies our immune systems need to fight infection. To open up such a huge DNA sequence in the right cells at the right time, the DNA must be unfolded from a tightly wound structure (very twisted rope) into the individual fibres so that the enzymes that cut and paste (recombine) the genes together can reach them. We have discovered that large-scale transcription occurs just before recombination and we propose that this process unwinds the DNA. This project aims to test this hypothesis by stopping this transcription and then determining whether recombination is blocked. This may explain one of the ways in which a type of immunodeficiency occurs in which patients don't produce enough antibodies to fight infections.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Genes & Developmental Biology (GDB)
Research Topics	Immunology
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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