CREDIT: EF Freed, J Prieto, KL McCann, B McStay, and SJ Baserga. 2012. NOL11, implicated in the pathogenesis of North American Indian Childhood Cirrhosis, is required for pre-rRNA transcription and processing. PLOS Genetics 8(8). e1002892. doi:10.1371/journal.pgen.1002892.
(Click on the image to be taken to the article)
In collaboration with the Yale Center for Molecular Discovery, our laboratory has carried out the first high throughput, genome-wide siRNA screen focused on identifying new proteins required for biogenesis of the large and small ribosomal subunits in human cells. This screen is the first RNAi campaign to use nucleolar number as an endpoint, and the first screen of its type carried out in a human cell line other than HeLa cells. This unbiased screening approach has revealed many new cellular proteins (the “hits”) not previously connected to making ribosomes. We are very excited to focus on these hits to uncover the orchestrated nucleolar-related gene networks that co-regulate ribosome biogenesis. We envision each of them (or some small groups) as discrete thesis projects or post-doctoral fellowship opportunities.