Research on tRNA modifications wins ERC Synergy Grant
A team led by Prof. Janusz M. Bujnicki at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB) will investigate how chemical modifications of tRNA affect cell function. Together with partners from Vienna, Bern, and Paris, the team has received an ERC Synergy Grant for this purpose. The results may help explain the causes of certain diseases, including cancer.
“Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules are essential for protein synthesis. They recognize the code carried by messenger RNA (mRNA), a working copy of the genetic information stored in DNA, and deliver the appropriate amino acids. They also perform other functions in the cell that are not yet fully understood,” says Prof. Janusz Bujnicki of the Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering at IIMCB.
The scientist points out that tRNA molecules contain numerous chemically modified nucleotides. “These modifications can alter the shape and stability of the tRNA molecules, influence their interactions with proteins, and affect the accuracy and speed of protein synthesis. However, we still do not know how individual modifications depend on one another or what the effects of their combined action are,” explains Prof. Bujnicki.
In the “The Life of tRNA” project, the researchers aim to develop a comprehensive understanding of the entire tRNA life cycle, from the formation and maturation of these molecules, through their interactions with proteins and their role in protein synthesis, to their role in other cellular processes.
The project is funded through the prestigious ERC Synergy Grant program, which supports ambitious research requiring close collaboration among several independent research teams. It brings together four teams led by Sebastian Glatt in Vienna, Sebastian Leidel in Bern, Carine Tisné in Paris, and Janusz Bujnicki at IIMCB.
“Each of us contributes complementary expertise in RNA biochemistry, structural biology, protein synthesis, cell biology, and computational modeling. Our team will combine computational approaches and artificial intelligence methods with experimental biochemical studies,” says Prof. Bujnicki.
By integrating these areas of expertise, the researchers will be able to trace the effects of tRNA modifications, from chemical and biophysical changes in individual molecules to their impact on cellular function. “None of the four teams could undertake research of this scope independently,” adds Prof. Bujnicki.
The findings may help improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying diseases associated with defects in tRNA modification and function, including certain cancers, mitochondrial diseases, neurological disorders, and diabetes. In the future, they may also lay the groundwork for developing new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.
The project, officially titled “LifeOfTRNA – Decoding the Molecular Mechanisms of tRNA Modifications,” has received a grant of €10 million. ERC Synergy Grants are funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe program. The research will begin in 2027 and run for six years.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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Prof. Janusz M. Bujnicki leads the Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering at IIMCB. His interdisciplinary research combines theoretical and experimental approaches, focusing particularly on determining and designing the 3D structures of RNA molecules and studying their interactions with proteins and small molecules. His team is widely recognized for the development of computational tools for structural bioinformatics: metaservers for protein structure prediction, ModeRNA and SimRNA for RNA modeling, and databases related to nucleic acid metabolism, particularly MODOMICS.