Transcription, Trafficking, Translation: dissecting the spatiotemporal mechanisms underlying localised protein synthesis. (360G-Wellcome-110170_Z_15_Z)

Proteins are central all processes that take place inside cells and reside at defined intracellular locations tailored to their function. DNA sequences within the genome are the blueprint for proteins and determine which proteins are made. To get from the DNA blueprint to a fully functional protein, DNA (which is located in the nucleus) is first transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) that migrates from the nucleus into the cytoplasm. Here, the mRNA is translated into proteins, which then traffic to the part of the cell where they are required (including back into the nucleus in some cases) before taking up their defined role in the cell. Many diseases are known to be associated with protein mislocalisation but these diseases are not well understood. Since it is likely that proteins have to be translated in the right place to ensure that they function correctly, we aim to carry out a detailed series of experiments to determine exactly how and where proteins are synthesised. Moreover, we aim to uncover the mechanisms that control how mRNA is trafficked to and stored in the correct part of the cell before translation into protein takes place.