Jenkins, Wes, 2014-2015

Wes Jenkins
Wes
Jenkins

"Searching for exRNA Transfer in Early Development "

Host Mentor: Michael McManus
University of California San Francisco

Increasing evidence suggests cell-to-cell communication is possible via extracellular RNAs (exRNAs). Regulation of gene expression through microRNAs (miRNAs) has long been established as an endogenous mechanism for fine-tuning expression post-transcriptionally. These small RNAs can prevent translation by binding to the 3’-UTR (untranslated region) of a target mRNA transcript. Recently, many studies have suggested miRNAs can act intercellularly (as exRNAs), potentially broadening their role in many biological processes. A vast number of miRNAs have been identified in the extracellular environment in a variety of bodily fluids, often packaged inside of extracellular vesicles (EVs). Some studies have suggested roles for exRNAs in many important biological processes including stem cell maintenance, apoptosis, and cancer metastasis. However, very little is known about the scope and extent to which exRNAs might mediate communication between cells. This is largely due to the difficulty involved with the identification and functional assessment of exRNAs in-vivo. To address these issues, I seek to employ a novel sensor system to identify functional micro-exRNAs in a variety of cell types of the developing mouse embryo. A greater understanding of where, when, and how much active exRNA is found in vivo will help broadly to direct future investigations into its potential as a carrier of cellular communication.