RNA Innovation Seminar: Sarah Woodson, Johns Hopkins University 

“How chaperones help RNAs choose the right partner”
Sarah Woodson, Ph.D.

T.C. Jenkins Professor of Biophysics
Johns Hopkins University

In-person: BSRB, ABC seminar rooms / hybrid link

Abstract: Non-coding RNAs must fold into specific structures to create the machinery for protein synthesis or to control gene expression.  As nascent transcripts can form different base pairing interactions, finding the right partner can take time. RNA chaperone proteins increase the RNA dynamics, enabling the kinetic selection of optimal RNA interactions. How a DEAD-box helicase improves the fidelity of ribosome assembly and how Hfq increases the selectivity of small RNA regulation will be discussed.