The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) has been awarded a $371,250 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859). The grant, awarded on January 1, 2025, supports quantitative research on the mechanisms of molecular motors involved in transcription and protein homeostasis. Key objectives of the project include:
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Defining the elementary rate-limiting steps for enzyme-catalyzed protein unfolding by molecular motor proteins such as Hsp104, ClpB, and ClpA, which are critical for maintaining protein homeostasis. This includes examining the coupling of ATP hydrolysis to protein unfolding and translocation, as well as the impact of substrate stability.
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Conducting a quantitative mechanistic comparison of the three eukaryotic RNA polymerases (Pol I, II, and III) to determine the unique differences that enable their specialized roles in transcribing different subsets of the cellular transcriptome.
The project aims to advance the fundamental understanding of how molecular motors function to power essential cellular processes, with potential implications for addressing age-related declines in protein homeostasis networks and associated human diseases.
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