Main research findings
Translation is one of the core processes inside a cell. It converts messenger RNA into fully functional proteins. When conditions are favourable and translation runs smoothly, cells can grow, differentiate, and proliferate. When translation is faulty, however, it is linked to several diseases, including neurodegeneration, cancer, and viral infections.
In this thesis, we identify and describe the first canonical 4E-BP protein in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, called Eap1. We show that Eap1 interacts with eIF4E homologs and is regulated by the TOR pathway, in line with how 4E-BPs work in other organisms. We further demonstrate that Eap1 helps regulate global translation in response to ribosome collisions, acting as part of a ribosome quality control (RQC) pathway. Finally, we show that Eap1 influences the formation of stress granules triggered by osmotic and nutritional stress.
Taken together, our findings uncover a conserved mechanism of translation regulation in fission yeast and reveal new roles for Eap1 in pathways that maintain protein homeostasis. This work provides a foundation for future studies on how similar regulatory processes have evolved in different species.
Trial lecture
The candidate will first give a trial lecture on the following topic: 'Ribosome collisions and protein quality control pathways: mechanisms and biological significance'.
Adjudication committee
- Associate Professor Miguel Ángel Rodríguez-Gabriel, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa (CSIC-UAM), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Spain
- Researcher Ignacio Garcia Llorente, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI), Norway
- Researcher Sara Orellana Munoz, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Norway
Chair of the defense
- Professor Pål Falnes, Department of Biosciences (IBV), University of Oslo, Norway
Supervisors
- CSIC Research Scientist Sandra Lopez-Aviles, IBFG Salamanca, Spain
- Senior Academic Librarian Marina Portantier, University of Oslo Library, University of Oslo, Norway
- Professor Rafal Ciosk, Department of Biosciences (IBV), University of Oslo, Norway