REPU MAGAZINE N 3
2017 REPU Research Projects
2017
2017 REPU Research Projects
By Luz Saavedra, Johnny Dávila and Ricardo Gonzales
REPU - Biology
Beatriz Garcia - New York University
Lehmann Laboratory, USA
Germ cells are the stem cells of the next generation; given the fact that
they can generate a new organism. Despite their importance, we still
know little about how their fate is determined. Research on the Lehmann
lab focuses on Drosophila (fruit fly) germ cells. In the embryo, germ cells
appear at the posterior pole and they are internalized during gastrulation.
Once they are inside the embryo, they individualize and cross the
posterior midgut epithelium that surrounds them. And after crossing, they
associate with somatic gonadal precursors to form the embryonic gonad.
During her internship at New York University, Beatriz worked with
Benjamin Lin in a project that aimed to decode the signaling network
regulating the individualization of germ cells. Identifying the genes
involved in this process is the first step towards understanding how it
works and the implications it has in development.
Lidia Llacsahuanga - UC Berkeley
Ingolia Laboratory, USA
Translation is the last step of the fundamental biological process of gene
expression, where the genetic information is decoded into a functional
protein. It consumes roughly half the energy used by the cell during rapid
growth and even minor defects on the translational apparatus can greatly
affect human health. The difficulty of studying translation lies on the
essentiality of many of the factors that drive it. Deleting those factors in
order to observe the immediate effects of their absence is not easily
accomplishable by traditional genetic techniques. However, a quick
promising method can be developed using plant hormones.
Lidia's work consisted on developing a novel and rapid degradation
system induced by the plant hormone jasmonate-isoleucine, and of
implementing the already explored system based on auxin to rapidly
degrade the desired factors in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
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