NYC Gazette

Two researchers from Yeshiva University have been awarded a $600,000 grant by the National Science Foundation to investigate RNA transport and localization within cells. The research aims to solve a longstanding biological mystery concerning RNA molecules, which are vital for cell function and organism development.

Dr. Irina Catrina, associate professor of chemistry, and Dr. Josefa Steinhauer, professor of biology, received the grant under the NSF’s Research in Undergraduate Institutions program. Their project is titled “RUI: Tools4Cells: Identifying Links Between Intracellular Vesicle Transport and Long-range RNA Trafficking During Drosophila melanogaster Oogenesis.” Initially, their research was seed-funded by the Katz School of Science and Health’s Faculty Research Initiative.

“The mislocalization of RNA can have catastrophic effects,” said Dr. Catrina, principal investigator of the project, “including developmental disorders and lethality, making this a high-impact area of study.”

Despite advances in scientific tools over the past 50 years that have mapped protein distribution in cells, understanding RNA localization remains limited. The researchers aim to develop computational and experimental tools to study RNA transport in real time. A significant goal is creating a Python-based software package to simplify custom RNA probe design for broader accessibility.

These probes will be crucial for visualizing RNAs in live cells. The software will incorporate previous work on probe design and offer flexible options for targeting RNA from any organism. By using mathematical models considering variables like target structure and environmental factors, it will rank potential probe candidates for optimal efficiency.

The research will focus on maternal mRNAs during oogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), a common model organism due to its simple biology and well-mapped genome. These mRNAs are critical for early embryo development.

The study will explore vesicles' role in transporting RNAs within cells. Vesicles have recently been linked to RNA trafficking, offering new insights into how RNAs move within cells.

By co-visualizing RNA molecules with Rab proteins involved in vesicle transport, the researchers aim to demonstrate that vesicles assist in transporting maternal mRNAs within developing egg cells. Rab proteins like Rab5, Rab7, and Rab11 have been associated with RNA transport in neurons; however, their role across other cell types remains unclear.

“The findings from these studies could have broad implications,” said Dr. Steinhauer, co-principal investigator of the project.

The experiments aim to provide proof of principle for the software tools while yielding insights into RNA trafficking mechanisms applicable across species.

“Our research has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of fundamental cellular processes,” said Dr. Catrina. “All cells rely on the transport and localization of RNA for proper function.”