Coordinated alternative splicing in development, featuring Transformer2b and ciliary tissues.-Dr. Charlotte Softley.

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• Dr. Holliday Lovegrove, Univ of Manchester & Dr. Charlotte Softley, University Clinic Freiburg
• Monday 30 October 2023, 14:30-15:30
• Online.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Jia CHEN.

Charlotte Softley: Coordinated alternative splicing in development, featuring Transformer2b and ciliary tissues

Ciliopathies are conditions, often systemic, caused by disruptions in cilia formation or function. They can affect any number of the ciliated cell types and tissues, including multiciliated cells (eg lungs or fallopian tubes), motile mono-ciliated cells in the left-right organiser and primary cilia, and signalling. These conditions cause suffering in patients around the globe; a better understanding of their causes will give us insight into potential treatments.

Unsurprisingly, many components of the cilia and centrosome are implicated in ciliopathies. However, many mutations in spliceosome components are also found to cause ciliopathies, indicating that splicing also plays an important role in ciliogenesis.

Investigating the alternative splicing factor Transformer2b (Tra2b) and its targets via RNAseq in the Xenopus laevis frog embryo, we found that knockdown of Tra2b leads to differential splicing in more than a hundred proteins, of which more than 30% are cilia-related. Dissecting these results and further analysis of fluid flow, left-right patterning and signalling, we found a seemingly concerted action of Tra2b targets in ciliogenesis and cilia function. I will present our findings and draw links with the alternative splicing factor NOVA to question whether coordinated alternative splicing could play a role in tissue- and stage-specific development across organisms.

This talk is part of the Morphogenesis Seminar Series series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Graduate-Seminars
• Morphogenesis Seminar Series
• Online

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