Ruslan Afasizhev

Professor of Molecular & Cell Biology

Research description

Currently active projects

  1. Mitochondrial transcription
  2. Mitochondrial U-insertion/deletion mRNA editing
  3. Polyadenylation and translation of mitochondrial mRNAs
  4. Guide RNA biogenesis
  5. Nuclear non-canonical poly(A) polymerases and mRNA decay
  6. Cytosolic mRNA uridylation

Selected Publications

1: Suematsu T, Zhang L, Aphasizheva I, Monti S, Huang L, Wang Q, Costello CE, Aphasizhev R. Antisense Transcripts Delimit Exonucleolytic Activity of the Mitochondrial 3′ Processome to Generate Guide RNAs. Mol Cell. 2016 Feb 4;61(3):364-78.

2: Aphasizheva I, Maslov DA, Qian Y, Huang L, Wang Q, Costello CE, Aphasizhev R. Ribosome-associated pentatricopeptide repeat proteins function as translational activators in mitochondria of trypanosomes. Mol Microbiol. 2016 Mar;99(6):1043-58.

3: Aphasizheva I, Zhang L, Wang X, Kaake RM, Huang L, Monti S, Aphasizhev R. RNA  binding and core complexes constitute the U-insertion/deletion editosome. Mol Cell Biol. 2014 Dec 1;34(23):4329-42.

4: Aphasizheva I, Maslov DA, Aphasizhev R. Kinetoplast DNA-encoded ribosomal protein S12: a possible functional link between mitochondrial RNA editing and translation in Trypanosoma brucei. RNA Biol. 2013 Nov;10(11):1679-88.

5: Aphasizheva I, Maslov D, Wang X, Huang L, Aphasizhev R. Pentatricopeptide repeat proteins stimulate mRNA adenylation/uridylation to activate mitochondrial translation in trypanosomes. Mol Cell. 2011 Apr 8;42(1):106-17.

6: Ringpis GE, Stagno J, Aphasizhev R. Mechanism of U-insertion RNA editing in trypanosome mitochondria: characterization of RET2 functional domains by mutational analysis. J Mol Biol. 2010 Jun 25;399(5):696-706.

7: Stagno J, Aphasizheva I, Bruystens J, Luecke H, Aphasizhev R. Structure of the mitochondrial editosome-like complex associated TUTase 1 reveals divergent mechanisms of UTP selection and domain organization. J Mol Biol. 2010 Jun11;399(3):464-75.

8: Ringpis GE, Aphasizheva I, Wang X, Huang L, Lathrop RH, Hatfield GW, Aphasizhev R. Mechanism of U insertion RNA editing in trypanosome mitochondria:the bimodal TUTase activity of the core complex. J Mol Biol. 2010 Jun 25;399(5):680-95.

9: Aphasizheva I, Aphasizhev R. RET1-catalyzed uridylylation shapes the mitochondrial transcriptome in Trypanosoma brucei. Mol Cell Biol. 2010 Mar;30(6):1555-67.

10: Aphasizheva I, Ringpis GE, Weng J, Gershon PD, Lathrop RH, Aphasizhev R. Novel TUTase associates with an editosome-like complex in mitochondria ofTrypanosoma brucei. RNA. 2009 Jul;15(7):1322-37.

11: Weng J, Aphasizheva I, Etheridge RD, Huang L, Wang X, Falick AM, AphasizhevR. Guide RNA-binding complex from mitochondria of trypanosomatids. Mol Cell. 2008Oct 24;32(2):198-209.

12: Etheridge RD, Aphasizheva I, Gershon PD, Aphasizhev R. 3′ adenylationdetermines mRNA abundance and monitors completion of RNA editing in T. brucei mitochondria. EMBO J. 2008 Jun 4;27(11):1596-608.

Active Grants

Structures and functions of RNA editing TUTases. R01AI091914. PI: R. Afasizhev; NIH/NIAID; 2010-2021.
Guide RNA binding complex. R01AI101057. PI: R. Afasizhev; NIH/NIAID; 2012-2017.
Functional dentition of guide RNAs. R21AI11522. PI: R. Afasizhev; NIH/NIAID; 2015-2016.

 

Departments
Molecular & Cell Biology
Affiliations
Faculty