PDF file: EURASNET Annual Report 2008

Participant 14 – John W. S. Browna) Work performed during the period• WP1During the reporting period the EURASNET website was relocated to SCRI. The website wasre-organised and a team put in place to deliver a new, dynamic website targeting specificgroups of potential end-users. The need for good interactions with other Dissemination WPswas addressed by building close interactions with the Barta group (responsible for PublicUnderstanding of Science) and co-ordinating activities. The new website has been launchedand continues to be developed.• WP6Mihaela Zavolan identified potential mRNA targets of novel, “orphan” snoRNAs from plantsand these are now being analysed by transcript analysis in a mutant.• WP8The three plant labs (Barta, Brown, Jarmolowski) have expanded the alternative splicing RT-PCR panel for examining AS in Arabidopsis. The panel is being used to analyse a range ofmutants in splicing factors (SR proteins) and other genes involved in mRNA biogenesis (e.g.cap-binding proteins, RNA binding proteins involved in circadian clock, nonsense-mediateddecay). In addition, a mutant in the microRNA pathway has been analysed. The effect ofdifferent environmental stresses on alternative splicing in plants is also being analysed usingthe RT-PCR panel and the plant groups have secured EU funding in this area. Importantresults from our analyses are 1) there are many novel and unexpected AS events showing thatmuch more AS occurs than currently estimated; 2) cap-binding proteins can influencealternative splicing of the first intron in a transcript; and 3) around 15% of transcripts areturned over by NMD. This strong collaboration among the three plant labs has alreadyinvolved numerous post-doc and PhD student exchanges which will continue over the nexttwo years. We have also organized an annual meeting of the plant groups to co-ordinate ourresearch efforts in this area. Finally, other plant labs in Europe now collaborate with us to usethe RT-PCR panel clearly demonstrating further translation of EURASNET-sponsoredresearch to the wider RNA community.• WP11We are continuing to prepare over-expression lines of the Arabidopsis PTB-like proteinisoform genes, PTBL1and PTBL3 and to characterize putative knock-out mutants for analysison the Arabidopsis AS RT-PCR panel.• WP21I manage the WP21 workpackage – “Broader outreach to the wider RNA community”. In thereporting period we have continued to built good relations with WP19 – Public Understandingof Science and have taken over WP1 – the EURASNET website. The co-ordination ofactivities has been valuable in generating ideas and gathering information and the websitefacilitates interactions with a wider community of RNA scientists. We have takenresponsibility for gathering information about the many and varied activities of members forthe annual report.165