# Probing transcriptional activation at the molecular level

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2021 · $438,570

## Abstract

Project Summary
Much of the assembly process of the transcription machinery is governed by transient and dynamic protein-
protein interactions (PPIs) that defy standard characterization strategies. Transcriptional coactivators are the
hubs of this process, interacting with transcriptional activators, epigenetic modulators, the polymerase, and other
coactivators to assemble the transcriptional machine. Coactivators also represent a central molecular recognition
conundrum, as the mechanisms by which they interact with such a diverse array with binding partners and the
influence of local binding interactions on longer-range structural and functional trajectories. In the previous
funding period, we developed a molecular recognition model that addresses the first part of the conundrum. Here
will build on this model to discover allosteric modulators of coactivators previously labelled undruggable despite
their central functional roles. Additionally, we will answer the latter half of the conundrum to develop a
comprehensive model of molecular recognition in transcriptional coactivator function.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10129977
- **Project number:** 5R35GM136356-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** ANNA K. MAPP
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $438,570
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-01 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10129977

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10129977, Probing transcriptional activation at the molecular level (5R35GM136356-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10129977. Licensed CC0.

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