# RNA decay and processing activities of the RNA exosome

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON · 2020 · $372,316

## Abstract

Abstract
 The RNA exosome plays important roles in 3' end processing of a variety of ncRNAs
and is also responsible for 3' to 5' degradation of both mRNAs and nc RNAs. By
preferentially degrading aberrant mRNAs and ncRNAs it also maintains the overall
fidelity of gene expression. Given the central role of the RNA exosome in a wide variety
of RNA processing and degradation reactions, it is not surprising that it is required for
cell viability. The long tern goal of our research is to achieve a greater understanding of
how the RNA exosome carries out its diverse functions.
 The RNA exosome is a 10-subunit complex that adopts an overall donut-shaped
structure. Nine of the subunits are catalytically inactive, and form the majority of the
donut. The 10th subunit is associated with one opening of the donut and confers both 3'
to 5' exoribonuclease and endoribonuclease activity on the RNA exosome complex. In
the past 10 years much progress has been made in understanding the structure and
biochemistry of the RNA exosome.
 Although isolated Rrp44 or the RNA exosome has nuclease activity in vitro, activity in
vivo strictly requires over a dozen other proteins. Although it is clear that these RNA
exosome cofactors control the activity and specificity of the RNA exosome, how these
cofactors achieve this is essentially completely unknown. The overall goal of the
proposed research is to resolve how the RNA exosome cofactors mediate its in
vivo activities. We will focus on Ski7 and Rrp6, two of the three RNA exosome
cofactors that are known to directly interact with the RNA exosome. Both genetic and
biochemical data suggest that they are important in part because they mediate
interaction with additional RNA exosome cofactors.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9920152
- **Project number:** 5R01GM099790-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HLTH SCI CTR HOUSTON
- **Principal Investigator:** AMBRO VAN HOOF
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $372,316
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2012-05-01 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9920152

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9920152, RNA decay and processing activities of the RNA exosome (5R01GM099790-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9920152. Licensed CC0.

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