Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biological Informatics for FY 2000

Schienman, John E, Voorheesville NY

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biological Informatics for 2000. The research and training plan is in the area of Population Biology and is The Role of Alu Elements in Regulatory Evolution: Bioinformatic and Experimental Study". About 10% of the human genome is composed of Alu elements, which are primate-specific SINES (short interspersed elements)--sequences of DNA thought to have been retroposed into the primate genome during evolutionary history. The human lineage has thousands of recent Alu insertions that are not found in other hominoids. Alu sequences have all been shown to have transcription factor binding sites. Thus, it is possible that some of these elements, if inserted adjacent to genes, may have altered gene regulation underlying human evolution. The aim of this study is to test, via molecular techniques and bioinformatic studies, the hypothesis that Alus preferentially insert predominantly near male germ cell transcribed genes. The resulting analyses of human-specific SINES will help identify candidate genes that may be expressed differently in humans compared to other hominoids.