Mangonelab

Aleandro Felix Mejia

Undergraduate Research Student
Email: afelixme@asu.edu

Angeli Sirilan

Undergraduate Research Student
Email: Angeli.Sirilan@asu.edu

Project: There are multiple individual proteins and protein complexes involved in the cleavage and polyadenylation of mRNA. Aleah, the graduate student I am assisting, is interested in understanding these complexes in more detail. My project is to create a negative control of a key protein within the cleavage stimulation factor (CstF) complex. The protein, cpf-2 in C. elegans, is the only one in the CstF complex that binds directly to the mRNA. By removing the RNA recognition motif from the cpf-2 sequence, not only the individual protein but the entire complex should not be able to bind to the mRNA strand. Thus, differences in mRNA cleaving and polyadenylation between the wildtype and my altered cpf-2 protein can then be attributed to the RNA binding capabilities of cpf-2 and potentially the CstF complex as a whole.

Brody Erfle

Undergraduate Research Student
Email: Brody.Erfle@asu.edu

Project:There are multiple individual proteins and protein complexes involved in the cleavage and polyadenylation of mRNA. Aleah, the graduate student I am assisting, is interested in understanding these complexes in more detail. My project is to create a negative control of a key protein within the cleavage stimulation factor (CstF) complex. The protein, cpf-2 in C. elegans, is the only one in the CstF complex that binds directly to the mRNA. By removing the RNA recognition motif from the cpf-2 sequence, not only the individual protein but the entire complex should not be able to bind to the mRNA strand. Thus, differences in mRNA cleaving and polyadenylation between the wildtype and my altered cpf-2 protein can then be attributed to the RNA binding capabilities of cpf-2 and potentially the CstF complex as a whole.

Carleigh Kendall

Undergraduate Research Student
Email: Carleigh.Kendall@asu.edu

Dalton Meadows

Undergraduate Research Student
Email: Dalton.Meadows@asu.edu

Project: The elucidation of 3' UTR isoforms is a key step in understanding the modifications that pre-mRNA undergoes during its processing within the nucleus. By designing plasmids that express differing photophores within certain types of C. elegans tissue, I hope to better understand the relationship between the subcomplexes of the 3' cleavage and polyadenylation complex. This work is aligned with that of Aleah Deptula (Graduate Student) as she attempts to breed transgenic strains of C. elegans containing plasmids of her design and my modifications. Outside of this work, I tend to the many strains of worms and ensure their continued happy, refrigerated, uncrowded existence.

Mairead Heyza

Undergraduate Research Student
Email: mheyza@asu.edu