# Molecular control of microRNA gene-regulatory activity.

> **NIH NIH R35** · KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $365,471

## Abstract

Project summary
Proper control of gene expression is essential for maintenance of cell and tissue homeostasis. Altered
regulation of gene expression contributes to a number of diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative
and metabolic disorders. One important layer of gene regulation occurs at the post-transcriptional level and is
orchestrated by a class of small non-coding RNAs called microRNAs (miRNAs). Alterations in miRNA function
contribute to many diseases, yet we lack complete knowledge of how miRNA activity is controlled to
differentially repress target genes. The broad goal of the proposed research program is to understand how
miRNA activity is regulated in the complex context of a living organism. More specifically, we will address two
questions that have limited our understanding of miRNA gene regulatory activity in development and disease.
1. How is miRNA target gene specificity established through regulation of miRNA induced silencing complex
(miRISC) programming with a specific miRNA strand? and 2. How do auxiliary miRISC protein cofactors
impact the gene-regulatory outcomes of miRNA activity on target mRNAs? To address these questions, we will
take advantage of the powerful model organism Caenorhabditis elegans and utilize a number of approaches to
define the genetic and molecular networks that regulate miRNA activity in vivo. The proposed work will build a
foundation that will help us understand how misregulation of miRNA function contributes to loss of gene
expression control in a variety of diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9980453
- **Project number:** 5R35GM124828-04
- **Recipient organization:** KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Anna Zinovyeva
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $365,471
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-15 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9980453

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9980453, Molecular control of microRNA gene-regulatory activity. (5R35GM124828-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9980453. Licensed CC0.

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