Chemistry & Biochemistry Colloquium | Nov. 7

The Chemistry & Biochemistry colloquium series presents Dr. Sanjaya Abeysirigunawardena discussing "Ribosomal RNA modification enzymes influence ribosome assembly" on Nov. 7 from 4:10 to 5:05 p.m. in Walter 145.

Abeysirigunawardena is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry at Kent State University.

The host is Jennifer Hines.

Abstract : Ribosome biogenesis is critical for cell survival. The ability to form bacterial 30S ribosomal subunits in vitro by mixing 16S ribosomal RNA and 21 proteins was discovered more than 50 years ago. The 30S ribosome assembly is also known to be highly cooperative and hierarchical. Since these discoveries, thermodynamics, and kinetics of protein addition, the structural basis for cooperative protein addition, and the nature of the assembly intermediates have been studied extensively. However, little is known about ribosome biogenesis in vivo . Many processes such as rRNA transcription and folding, the addition of r-proteins, rRNA maturation, rRNA, and r-protein modification event occur concurrently during ribosome biogenesis. Various trans-acting factors are required to maintain the synchronicity of various such processes that co-occur during ribosome biogenesis. My research group has discovered that several rRNA modification enzymes act as assembly factors during ribosome biogenesis, in addition to their enzymatic activity. We believe that their role as assembly factors is crucial for rapid synthesis of new ribosomes.