דובי אלדור

תלמיד המחלקה לתואר שני ירצה בנושא:

Deciphering Viral-host Interactions through

Small RNA Regulation

MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNA molecules of about 22 nucleotides length that are involved in regulation of gene expression. These small molecules have been found to regulate genes involved in diverse biological processes such as cell proliferation, development, differentiation, apoptosis and others. MicroRNAs regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, mostly by inhibition of the target mRNA. Each microRNA is able to regulate thousands of target genes simultaneously. Given that hundreds of microRNAs were discovered over the past 10 years this presents a challenge of mapping their particular role in regulating gene expression during health and disease.

A logical first step in setting up biological investigations these days, when plenty of high-throughput experimental data is available, is to use computational techniques as a first step before any experimental decisions take place. Therefore, in my thesis I have explored and generated several computational tools to facilitate the study of viral-host interactions through small RNA regulation.

To this end I have developed methods for: (i) exploring secondary structures in viral sequences that can function as potential microRNAs in a cellular environment; (ii) detecting regions in viral sequences that can be bound, or regulated by host microRNAs; (iii) linking groups of microRNAs to a group of targets with the same cellular function or associated with the same cellular pathways; (iv) identifying multiple pathogens (such as viruses) in host samples by using small RNA high-throughput sequencing. Finally, I have created a Graphic User Interface (GUI) application that combines most of the methods above in a common platform, for easy and accessible use.

Specifically my study showed that: (i) Hepatitis C virus can potentially be regulated by miR-218; (ii) Secondary structures of microRNAs are expressed from HCV sequences; (iii) Multiple targeting can reveal relevant pathways associated with liver infections and cervical cancer; (iv) Short RNA sequences can be used to detect pathogens in a host sequence if length exceeds 25 nt.

Overall, my thesis expands the use of computational tools for deciphering viral host interactions through small RNA regulation

העבודה נעשתה בהנחיית ד"ר נועם שומרון, הפקולטה לרפואה

ופרופ' ישראל גנות, המחלקה להנדסה ביו-רפואית, אוניברסיטת תל-אביב

ההרצאה תתקיים ביום ראשון 20.1.2013, בשעה 14:45,

בחדר 315, הבניין הרב תחומי, אוניברסיטת תל אביב