Small RNAs in host-pathogen systems - Amy Buck

Amy's work to date has largely focused on one specific class of small RNAs, microRNAs, which are ~22 nt RNA molecules that regulate gene expression by binding to specific mRNA transcripts, causing the mRNAs to be degraded or causing their translation to be repressed. 

The majority of human protein-coding genes are under selective pressure to maintain microRNA binding sites in their 3’UTRs and these small RNAs are therefore a ubiquitous and integral component of signaling pathways.  Some viruses can produce their own microRNAs and also use or inhibit cellular microRNAs during their life cycles. We have a long-standing interest in understanding these viral-host interactions towards the long term goal of using microRNAs to improve and supplement existing therapeutic strategies.

In the last 5 years her lab has extended their research to the study of extracellular RNA, including microRNAs and other small RNAs.  This was initiated by their finding that parasitic nematodes secrete RNAs and these can be found in host fluids.  These results opens up many questions about the mechanisms by which RNAs are exported and imported into cells and the RNA-protein (RNP) complexes involved and the role of  extracellular vesicles in these transport processes.