Localisation and inheritance of translation factor mRNA granules in yeast. (360G-Wellcome-203969_Z_16_A)

During the process of producing proteins from DNA, the localisation of intermediate mRNA is an essential regulation. Misregulation of protein activity due to mislocalisation of mRNA can adversely affect both developing organisms and adult tissues. Studies on mRNA localisation in yeast have served as a paradigm for other systems. Recently the Ashe lab have identified several mRNAs that associate together as a granule, and this granule is preferentially inherited by the new daughter cell during cell division. Interestingly, these mRNAs encode for proteins that are important for the translation of other mRNAs into proteins. Therefore, the purpose this mRNA granule inheritance may be to allow rapid growth and development of the new daughter cell. The aim of this project is to investigate the purpose of RNA granule inheritance by comparing the physiology of daughter cells that inherit RNA granules and those that do not. Also, the mechanisms of mRNA localisation to these daughter cells will be studied using NIP1 mRNA, which localises to these RNA granules during cell division. This project therefore aims to study mRNA localisation to investigate mechanisms and consequences of translation factor mRNA granule inheritance, processes which may also be conserved in other organisms.