CMCB Life Sciences Seminar: Dr. Jirka Peschek, Heidelberg University

Host: Titus Franzmann

Title: "Sealing the deal – RNA ligation mechanisms during non-conventional splicing"

Abstract:

Eukaryotic tRNA ligases are an essential component of the cellular tRNA splicing machinery. Intriguingly, two distinct enzymatic strategies have evolved in fungi and higher eukaryotes. In my group we are interested in understanding the mechanisms of tRNA ligases as well as their cellular roles during non-conventional splicing and RNA repair. I will present our latest structural and biochemical insights into the RNA sealing activities of human and fungal tRNA ligases. These findings support our long-term goal to harness RNA processing enzymes as biotechnological tools and therapeutic targets for human disease.

Publications:

Gerber JL, Morales Guzmán SI, Worf L, Hubbe P, Kopp J, Peschek J (2023) Structural and mechanistic insights into activation of the human RNA ligase RTCB by Archease. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.03.30.534986

Li W, Crotty K, Garrido Ruiz D, Voorhies M, Rivera C, Sil A, Mullins RD, Jacobson MP, Peschek J, & Walter P (2021). Protomer alignment modulates specificity of RNA substrate recognition by Ire1. eLife 10:e67425.

Peschek J & Walter P (2019) tRNA ligase structure reveals kinetic competition between non-conventional mRNA splicing and mRNA decay. eLife 8:e44199.

Peschek J, Acosta-Alvear D, Mendez AS, Walter P (2015) A conformational RNA zipper promotes intron ejection during non-conventional XBP1 mRNA splicing. EMBO Rep. 16(12):1688-98.

Peschek J, Braun N, Rohrberg J, Back KC, Kriehuber T, Kastenmüller A, Weinkauf S, Buchner J (2013) Regulated structural transitions unleash the chaperone activity of αB-crystallin. PNAS 110(40):E3780-9.