Heng-Chi Lee, University of Chicago
Assistant Professor
Chicago, Illinois
hengchilee@uchicago.edu
Office:
(773) 702-4684
Bio/Research
Small non-coding RNAs play remarkable roles in regulating gene expression by binding to Argonaute family proteins and guiding them to recognize their targets. We are interested in understanding how small RNAs function as a surveillance system that defends the genome against foreign nucleic acids,...
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Bio/Research
Small non-coding RNAs play remarkable roles in regulating gene expression by binding to Argonaute family proteins and guiding them to recognize their targets. We are interested in understanding how small RNAs function as a surveillance system that defends the genome against foreign nucleic acids, such as transposons. A conserved subfamily of Argonaute, named PIWI, binds PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) and plays critical roles in silencing transposons in various animals. Using C. elegans as a model organism, our recent study suggests PIWI and >25,000 genome-encoded piRNAs survey the whole transcriptome to detect "non-self" nucleic acids. Interestingly, our research demonstrated that piRNAs can establish "non-self memory" that silences its targets over multiple generations! In addition, self-transcripts appear to be protected by another group of small RNAs from piRNA silencing.
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