Vibhor Mishra: Assembly of a dsRNA synthesizing complex

Vibhor Mishra, freelance scientist on Kolabtree, has recently published a research paper titled,

“Assembly of a dsRNA synthesizing complex: RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE 2 contacts the largest subunit of NUCLEAR RNA POLYMERASE IV”

Here is the abstract of the article:

In plants, transcription of selfish genetic elements such as transposons and DNA viruses is suppressed by RNA-directed DNA methylation. This process is guided by 24-nt short-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) whose double-stranded precursors are synthesized by DNA-dependent NUCLEAR RNA POLYMERASE IV (Pol IV) and RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE 2 (RDR2). Pol IV and RDR2 coimmunoprecipitate, and their activities are tightly coupled, yet the basis for their association is unknown. Here, we show that an interval near the RDR2 active site contacts the Pol IV catalytic subunit, NRPD1, the largest of Pol IV’s 12 subunits. Contacts between the catalytic regions of the two enzymes suggests that RDR2 is positioned to rapidly engage the free 3′ ends of Pol IV transcripts and convert these single-stranded transcripts into double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs).

Read the full publication on PNAS. 

The publication was recommended on FacultyOpinions by Dr. Z Jeffrey Chen, University of Texas, Austin.

Vibhor Mishra is a Scientist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and co-founder of SciAdvis,
a scientific consultancy. He has a Ph.D. in Molecular and Structural Biology. Vibhor has spent a
decade understanding the inner workings of molecular regulators involved in gene silencing. His
present research focuses on exploring the proteins from key regulatory pathways implicated in
different kinds of pediatric cancers, a leading cause of child mortality worldwide. He believes
there is an urgent need to study the complex molecular mechanisms of cancer-causing factors
to find new solutions for this age-old problem. Vibhor is a featured author, an associate faculty
member for Faculty Opinions, and an ad-hoc reviewer for several scientific journals and grant
panels.

On Kolabtree, Vibhor is looking to connect with industry leaders in therapeutic protein design and engineering. He can provide expert solutions for protein/peptide design, engineering, development, production, and characterization. He has 9 years of experience in leading and managing research professionals on collaborative projects resulting in 12 publications and $10 million lab grant funding. He has independently communicated/published his research in 5 international scientific journals and peer-reviewed scientific publications. CONSULT HIM HERE