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Description

Our fundamental interest is to understand how cells respond to the signals they receive by modifying their gene expression. Our aim is to address changes in gene expression by studying its different stages, from the transcriptional activation of genes to the formation of messenger RNA molecules and their translation, paying attention not only to the factors involved and the mechanisms, but also to the connection or crosstalk that is established between them and makes gene expression not a linear process but one that is interconnected forwards and backwards, in time and space.

In addition, we pay special attention to some factors that appear to be key in the control of gene expression and that often act in a multidisciplinary way in several biological processes and different cellular compartments. One such factor is the eIF5A protein, highly conserved from yeast to humans and essential in eukaryotic cells. eIF5A is a translation elongation factor required in the synthesis of proteins containing amino acid motifs with consecutive proline or combinations of proline, glycine and charged amino acids.

Our interest is to understand the mechanism of translation regulation by eIF5A, determining which are the proteins whose synthesis requires this factor and how, directly or through its targets, eIF5A acts in pathological processes such as fibrosis, cancer or during ageing. In our group, we mainly use the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism, since it is the best known eukaryote and a model for understanding evolutionarily conserved molecular processes at the cellular level. Furthermore, we have found that the conclusions of our research can be generalised to mammalian cells using mouse or human cell cultures. 

Goals CT
  • Objective 1: Generation of genome-scale techniques and their use in the investigation of the various stages and processes of gene expression.
  • Objective 2: Study of the control of translation by the evolutionarily conserved factor eIF5A and its role in pathologies.
Research lines
  • Study of the control of translation by the evolutionarily conserved factor eIF5A and its role in pathologies

    eIF5A is an elongation factor that binds to ribosomes when they get stuck during the synthesis of some proteins containing proline, glycine and charged amino acid motifs. Our group has determined that eIF5A is required for the synthesis of formins (yeast, fly and mouse), collagen (mouse and human) and human proteins that are prone to aggregation in aged cells. Our aim is to mechanistically determine the function of eIF5A, through the synthesis of its target proteins, in pathologies such as fibrosis, cancer or during ageing. Understanding these mechanisms will help in the development of specific therapies aimed at regulating eIF5A function.

  • Genomic analysis of transcription in yeast

    The complexity of the phenomenon of gene expression will be better understood if techniques for measuring transcription in vivo at the genomic level are improved and genetic and genomic approaches are used to clarify the functional connections that control transcription.

Management
  • PEREZ ORTIN, JOSE ENRIQUE
  • PDI-Catedratic/a d'Universitat
  • Coordinador/a de Programa de Doctorat
  • Secretari/a d' Institut Universitari
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Members
  • ALEPUZ MARTINEZ, ELIA PAULA
  • PDI-Catedratic/a d'Universitat
  • Coordinador/a de Mobilitat
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  • GARCIA MARTINEZ, JOSE
  • PDI-Titular d'Universitat
  • Director/a de Departament
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  • TORDERA DONDERIS, VICENTE
  • PDI-Catedratic/a d'Universitat
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Scientific production by UV researcher
  • PEREZ ORTIN, JOSE ENRIQUE
    PDI-Catedratic/a d'UniversitatCoordinador/a de Programa de DoctoratSecretari/a d' Institut Universitari
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  • GARCIA MARTINEZ, JOSE
    PDI-Titular d'UniversitatDirector/a de Departament
    Expandir
  • TORDERA DONDERIS, VICENTE
    PDI-Catedratic/a d'Universitat
    Expandir
Associated structure
Institute of Biotechnology and Biomedicine (BIOTECMED)
Contact group details
Yeast Functional Genomics (GFL)

Burjassot/Paterna Campus

C/ Doctor Moliner, 50

46100 Burjassot (València)

+34 963 543 467

Geolocation

www.uv.es/gfl

jose.e.perez@uv.es

Contact people
  • PEREZ ORTIN, JOSE ENRIQUE
  • PDI-Catedratic/a d'Universitat
  • Coordinador/a de Programa de Doctorat
  • Secretari/a d' Institut Universitari
View details