microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that play an immense role in cellular regulation through their ability modulate gene expression. miRNAs bind with sequence complementarity to a target mRNA transcript, culminating in targeted downregulation of that gene via inhibition of mRNA translation or degradation. While our understanding of miRNA biology has been growing, knowledge regarding post-transcriptional regulation remains limited. Additionally, our ability to manipulate these systems with exogenous small molecule probes is equally lacking. To work toward both of these knowledge gaps, we have developed a pipeline leading to new miRNA-binding protein identification and small molecule probe discovery. This pipeline couples a new assay, termed catalytic Enzyme-Linked Click-Chemistry Assay (cat-ELCCA), with proteomic cross-linking experiments. By combining these two methodologies, our goal is to identify new miRNA regulation pathways and probe their fundamental biology using small molecules.

Discovering and manipulating miRNA biology utilizing click-chemistry

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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