# Defining the Biology of the ADAR1-RISC Complex

> **NIH NIH R01** · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2024 · $697,404

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The means by which cells respond to virus infection is critical for survival. Moreover, the cellular response to
virus differs dramatically depending on its position on the tree of life. This observation suggests that there are
many successful strategies to inhibit virus infection, just as there are many viral antagonists that have evolved
to interfere with them. Interestingly, while the cellular response to virus infection in mammals is primarily
mediated by the family of Type I interferons (IFN-I), we recently characterized an IFN-I-independent defense
system that involves an evolutionary conserved RNAse III nuclease. We find that this nuclease, called Drosha,
rapidly translocates to the cytoplasm in response to virus infection and forms a high molecular weight structure
by associating with the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) which we have termed the ADAR-RISC Complex
or simply, ARC. Here we seek to better understand the physiological relevance of this complex.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10843880
- **Project number:** 5R01AI170487-03
- **Recipient organization:** NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Benjamin R. tenOever
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $697,404
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-06-01 → 2027-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10843880

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10843880, Defining the Biology of the ADAR1-RISC Complex (5R01AI170487-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10843880. Licensed CC0.

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