Optogenetic Control of mRNA Localization

Messenger RNA (mRNA) localization controls gene expression in space and time. In this proposal, my team will develop a light-inducible mRNA anchoring system (LIRA) that enables precise spatial control of transcript localization in living cells. By combining MS2-based RNA labeling with the optogenetic PhyB-PIF interaction, LIRA will allow us to relocalize defined mRNAs to chosen subcellular compartments with high temporal resolution. We will leverage LIRA to uncover how local translation shapes two fundamental cellular processes: (1) asymmetric partitioning of mRNAs during cell division, and (2) mitochondrial function and morphology. These results will test a new strategy for causally linking mRNA localization to cell cycle progression and organelle physiology. By enabling programmable, reversible mRNA relocalization, LIRA will establish a broadly applicable platform for dissecting the spatial logic of gene expression. Project Number: 1P20GM156712-01 | Fiscal Year: 2025 | NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) | Principal Investigator: Weihan Li | Institution: BROWN UNIVERSITY, PROVIDENCE, RI | Award Amount: $220,784 | Activity Code: P20 | Study Section: Special Emphasis Panel[ZGM1 RCB-X (C1)] View on NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/1P20GM15671201