# 5’ end RNA Caps in Gene Expression

> **NIH NIH R35** · RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIV OF N.J. · 2024 · $659,767

## Abstract

Project Summary
The proposed studies are focused on our long-term effort to delineate the functional contribution
of canonical and non-canonical nucleotide metabolite mRNA 5¢ end caps and their removal in the
control of RNA stability and gene expression. Regulation of RNA turnover is a critical step in the
modulation of gene expression and minor alterations in mRNA stability can have profound
consequences and may manifest as clinical phenotypes. A key component controlling the fate of
eukaryotic mRNA is the 5¢-end cap. Eukaryotic caps are generally thought to possess a canonical
N7 methyl guanosine (m7G) cap at their 5¢-end to promote their stability and translation. Removal
of the m7G cap (decapping) is exquisitely regulated and renders the RNA translationally silent and
subject to rapid decay and gene silencing. Moreover, a recent exciting paradigm shift emerged
with the demonstration that eukaryotic RNAs can also carry noncanonical 5´end nucleotide
metabolite caps, initially of nicotinamide adenine diphosphate (NAD) and subsequently flavin
adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and Uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc). Such
caps provide a potential link between RNA metabolism and cellular metabolism. However, there
is a major gap in our understanding of these novel caps and their physiological function as well
as their unambiguous identification. Thus, a detailed mechanistic understanding of the individual
novel nucleotide metabolite capped RNAs and their functional consequence on cellular energetics
and gene expression will have broad implications for cells in both normal and disease states.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10850992
- **Project number:** 5R35GM149262-02
- **Recipient organization:** RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIV OF N.J.
- **Principal Investigator:** MEGERDITCH KILEDJIAN
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $659,767
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-06-01 → 2028-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10850992

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10850992, 5’ end RNA Caps in Gene Expression (5R35GM149262-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10850992. Licensed CC0.

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