05/2021 - Mechanism of selective recruitment of RNA polymerases II and III to snRNA gene promoters
RNA polymerase II (Pol II) small nuclear RNA (snRNA) promoters and type 3 Pol III promoters have highly similar structures; both contain an interchangeable enhancer and “proximal sequence element” (PSE), which recruits the SNAP complex (SNAPc). The main distinguishing feature is the presence, in the type 3 promoters only, of a TATA box, which determines […]
04/2021 - The Ferret as a Model System for Neocortex Development and Evolution
The neocortex is the largest part of the cerebral cortex and a key structure involved in human behavior and cognition. Comparison of neocortex development across mammals reveals that the proliferative capacity of neural stem and progenitor cells and the length of the neurogenic period are essential for regulating neocortex size and complexity, which in turn […]
04/2021 - Antisense RNAs during early vertebrate development are divided in groups with distinct features
Long noncoding RNAs or lncRNAs are a class of non-protein-coding RNAs that are >200 nucleotides in length. Almost 50% of lncRNAs during zebrafish development are transcribed in an antisense direction to a protein-coding gene. However, the role of these Natural Antisense Transcripts or NATs during development remains enigmatic. To understand NATs in early vertebrate development, […]
03/2021 - Intraflagellar transport trains can turn around without the ciliary tip complex
Cilia and flagella are microtubule doublet based organelles found across the eukaryotic tree of life. Their very high aspect ratio and crowded interior are unfavourable to diffusive transport for their assembly and maintenance. Instead, a highly dynamic system of intraflagellar transport (IFT) trains moves rapidly up and down the cilium. However, the mechanism of how […]