ERC Starting Grant · 2025
Decoding Peptide-Mediated mRNA Decay: Uncovering the Role of Nascent Polypeptides in Gene Regulation
Cells tightly regulate mRNA stability to ensure accurate gene expression across diverse cellular states and conditions. Traditionally, selective mRNA degradation has been attributed to the recognition of nucleotide sequence elements by proteins or small RNAs that subsequently recruit decay factors. Conversely, an emerging mechanism termed “peptide-mediated mRNA decay” (PMD) involves the encoded protein: my postdoctoral work revealed how the nascent polypeptide—physically linked to the mRNA during translation by the ribosome—can direct mRNA decay. This process is exemplified by tubulin mRNAs, which are selectively degraded when cells sense excess free tubulin levels. In this novel type of…
From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.