Closed projects

Small molecular weight non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are involed in diverse cellular processes in Plasmodium falciparum as in other eukaryotes. Various candidate ncRNAs were identified using bioinformatics and cloned from asexual stage parasites. These candidates were studied to characterize their functional roles in splicing, rRNA modification and regulation of gene expression. These studies have provided mechanistic information on the functions of small molecular weight RNAs. Spliceosomal RNAs (snRNAs) identified in the screen were shown to harbor trimethyl guanosine caps on their 5' ends. This finding led to studies of the enzyme (TGS1) that carries out the hypermethylation reaction with a focus on unusual properties of the enzyme such as amino acid insertions in the active site, putative trans-membrane domains and small molecule inhibitors.

Funded by: Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India (BT/PR5545/Med/12/236/2004)