Catalin Luncanu

• BSc (Hons) Biochemistry
• The role of protein kinases in the regulation of Rif1 during DNA damage and spindle damage in eukaryotic cells

Rif1 (Rap1-Interacting Factor 1) protein is a well-conserved DNA-damage-response factor, required for cell survival after DNA damage and for proper execution of DNA replication. Little is known about how Rif1 achieves these functions or how it is regulated. This project will investigate potential roles in phosphorylating Rif1 as response to histone damage. Histone regulatory and maintaining machinery proteins genes are deleted and the level of histone gene expression is to be measured in the presence and albescence of Rif1. Furthermore Rif1 post translational modifications are to be investigated (e.g. phosphorylation) as a form of signalling. This would occur as result of the histone housekeeping genes: HIR1, RTT109, CAC1 being knocked-out. No attempt gene deletions have been successful using a kanamycin resistance marker using special design primers. Despite colonies forming on kanamycin selective media plates, suggesting that kan cassette has been introduced elsewhere in the genome of haploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells. 

Funding source: Wellcome Trust

Supervisor: Dr Laura Maringele