Modeling the Effect on rRNA-mRNA Interactions and mRNA Folding on mRNA Translation in Organelles

The process of translation initiation in prokaryotes is mediated via the binding of the 16S rRNA component of the small ribosomal subunit to the mRNA and the folding of the mRNA. Recently it was shown that in organelles, which have originated from formerly autonomous bacteria, such as the chloroplast the 16S rRNA structure underwent evolution that affects the chloroplast`s translation initiation.

Thus, in this project we are developing a novel computational pipeline that can be used for inferring and engineering translation regulation in organelles. This pipeline should have important contribution to basic science, including the understanding of the genomic evolution and the biophysics of translation in organelles, and to biotechnology.