Rui Zhang, PhD
Graduate Student
Yi-Tao Yu, University of Rochester
Pronouns: she/her
My name is Rui Zhang, a 5th year PhD student in the Biology Department of University of Rochester. My research interest is U2 snRNA pseudouridylation in the recognition of branch site sequence during the pre-mRNA splicing. Pseudouridylation is evolutionarily favored in various RNAs. SnRNA pseudouridylation has been proved to be very important in the processing of pre-mRNA splicing. However, the mechanism of how pseudouridines interact with the branch site sequence in the intron is largely unknown. We employed the budding yeast system and large scale screening, followed by NGS sequencing and single nucleotide resolution assays, trying to decode the common rules of base-pairing interactions between U2 snRNA and mRNA substrates. Solving this mystery can help us further understand the relationship of some human diseases and alternative splicing and provide a clue for the development of RNA drugs to treat these diseases in the future.
My Presentations
Topics of Interest
- Bay Area RNA Conference
- RNA Mechanism
- RNA Structure
- RNA Technologies
- Sequence Exploration
- Gene Regulation
- In Vivo Function
- Workshops, Sessions, and Socials
- Careers in Industry
