PhD Proposal Seminar – Ghyda Hashim (Mounir Lab)

Analysis of early plant gene(s) involved in the viral infectious process and plant defence responses through the dysregulation of plant circular RNAs

Abstract

Unlike linear RNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are covalently closed continuous loops without 5’ and 3’ ends, cap or polyadenylated tail molecules. CircRNAs are generated from RNA splicing followed by back ligation. Although circRNAs have continued to gain attention, our understanding of their function remains limited. We selected the strategy to profile changes (dysregulation up/down) of circRNAs in response to virus (or single viral gene) infection in plants rather than profiling differentially expressed plant proteins (cDNAs).

The overarching goal of my research includes four aims: (i) evaluating circRNAs and their predicted impact on the dysregulation of plant genes due to viral infectious process; (ii) identifying plant circular RNAs generated/dysregulated very early on in the infection process that are responsible for triggering plant cell responses to the virus infectious process; (iii) studying and identifying plant genes (through their circRNAs) involved in plant host (susceptible/compatible interactions) responses to viral infection versus non-host recognition; and (iv) investigating how those circular RNAs are involved in the plant defense mechanisms, against viruses and how some viruses can over-come the defense mechanisms to be able to replicate.

Our current study aims to shed light on the role(s) of circular RNAs in the context of virus infection, virus susceptibility and resistance.

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Join Zoom Meeting

https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/81695333689

Meeting ID: 816 9533 3689

Host: AbouHaidar Mounir (mounir.abouhaidar@utoronto.ca)

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