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RNA Innovation Seminar: Gal Haimovich, Weizmann Institute of Science
Monday, February 13, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
“Why Did the RNA Cross the Nanotube? Many questions and (some) answers on tunneling-nanotube medicated RNA transfer between mammalian cells”
Gal Haimovich, Ph.D.
Assistant Staff Scientist
Department of Molecular Genetics
Weizmann Institute of Science
Virtual only: zoom link
Abstract: RNAs have been shown to undergo transfer between mammalian cells, though the mechanism behind this phenomenon and its overall importance to cell physiology is not well understood. We found that full-length mRNAs and lncRNAs undergo direct cell-cell transfer via cytoplasmic extensions called tunneling nanotubes (TNTs), which connect donor and acceptor cells. Despite 10 years of research, there are still major questions about this process such as which RNAs are transferred, what is the mechanism, how is this process regulated and what does the RNA do on the other side? I will review the evidence for TNT-mediated RNA transfer, discuss the technical challenges in this field, and provide some answers to these questions.