Expression is all.......the timing, location and amount of gene expression can have a profound effect on the function(s) of genes in the organism.

The Open University is participating in research with the aim of finding solutions to the problems caused by misexpression of genes – problems that are thought to give rise to a host of human diseases such as Leukaemia.

The research is part of The Open University’s Affiliated Research Centre (ARC) Programme, being undertaken by OU PhD student, Charles Banks, who is based at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research in the USA.

A major goal of the research is to understand, at a molecular level how synthesis of eukaryotic messenger RNA by the multisubunit enzyme RNA polymerase II is regulated. Transcription is the transfer of genetic information from DNA into RNA, and RNA polymerase II is responsible for the production of cellular mRNA in this process. An understanding of the mechanisms that control transcription will be crucial to being able to find solutions to the problems caused by misexpression of genes, problems that may give rise to a host of human diseases. In this research a protein complex in fission yeast consisting of two subunits, SpELL and SpEAF, has been identified. It was found that the SpELL/SpEAF complex was able to bind to RNA polymerase II and could stimulate the rate of synthesis of RNA in a test tube. The SpELL subunit has a similar sequence to the human ELL gene, which is involved with chromosomal translocations in a class of leukaemias, and hence provides a good model for studying the mechanism by which ELL contributes to gene regulation.  

The above findings are described in the journal article “Identification and Characterization of a Schizosaccharomyces pombe RNA Polymerase II Elongation Factor with Similarity to the Metazoan Transcription Factor ELL,” which was published in the February 2007 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry and was selected as the journal’s Paper of the Week.

After completing his bachelor’s degree in physics (1991), Charles Banks pursued a rewarding career teaching physics and science to students aged 11 to 18 years. During this time, Charles started to reflect on his own approach to understanding scientific problems and decided to make a career change. Moving from the UK to the USA in 2001, Charles had the opportunity to work in the laboratory of Drs Joan and Ron Conaway at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, which allowed him to develop new practical skills in biochemistry while studying the mechanisms of gene transcription.  Charles registered as a graduate student with the OU in 2006.

Housed in a 600,000 square-foot state-of-the-art facility on a 10-acre campus in the heart of Kansas City, Missouri, the Stowers Institute for Medical Research conducts basic research on fundamental processes of cellular life. Through its commitment to collaborative research and the use of cutting-edge technology, the Institute seeks more effective means of preventing and curing disease. The Institute was founded by Jim and Virginia Stowers, two cancer survivors who have created combined endowments of $2 billion in support of basic research of the highest quality.

The Open University’s Affiliated Research Centre (ARC) programme, which came into effect on 1 October 2007, is designed to ensure that we support the provision of doctoral training in the UK, Europe and worldwide. Through collaborative relationships with research institutions who do not have their own degree awarding powers we have created a network of partner organisations with interests which complement and extend our own strengths in life and biomolecular sciences, Earth and environmental sciences, and in some arts and humanities disciplines. Our partner institutions include: Architectural Association School of Architecture; HR Wallingford; KEMRI - Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kenya; International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Italy; Medical Research Laboratories, The Gambia; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Stowers Institute for Medical Research, USA.  For more information see: http://www.open.ac.uk/research/research-degrees/affiliated-research-centre-programme/index.php

Back to top