The role of aberrant RNA processing in the pathogenesis of Multiple Myeloma. (360G-Wellcome-098638_Z_12_B)

A role for RNA binding and processing proteins in the control of eukaryotic cellular processes and in disease, including cancer, is emerging . I led the initial sequencing of the myeloma genome at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. A key finding was mutations in RNA processing genes, DIS3 or FAM46C in 25% of cases. These findings have been independently corroborated, establishing these mutations as genuine drivers of the disease. DIS3 is the catalytic component of the exosome, an essenti al RNA processing complex. FAM46C is poorly characterized, but available evidence suggests it has roles in RNA processing in a lineage-dependent manner. This proposal seeks to better characterize these genes and mutations. Characterization of FAM46C mutations will be performed by knock-out of the gene from the DT40 cell line, determination of phenotype and rescue experiments. Lineage-dependent transcriptional pathways affected by altered transcript stability will be identified by RNA sequenci ng and confirmed in primary myeloma samples. Known aberrant RNA processing phenotypes associated with DIS3 loss/mutation will be sought by RNA sequencing in primary myeloma samples. The pathways affected by mutant DIS3 in myeloma will be identified using yeast genetic screens and classical yeast complementation experiments.