Thesiss

Splicing factors bind, in most cases, to a degenerate motif in the pre-mRNA of the target gene and either recruit or repel the spliceosome to/from nearby splice sites. Many splicing factors possess RNA-independent functions, such as protein-protein interactions in cellular compl…

The transcriptional co-activator PGC-1a is widely accepted as the “master regulator” of mitochondrial biogenesis – an increase in mitochondrial content – and much research has been devoted to understanding PGC-1a’s role in mitochondrial remodeling. However, several studies have …

Phosphorus is a key element in biogenic molecules and the mineral schreibersite is a major reactive phosphorus source for organic compounds on the prebiotic Earth. In this dissertation, a suite of reactions of phosphorus species, which originate from schreibersite minerals on ch…

Group II introns are a class of large, versatile ribozymes that interrupt genetic loci in bacteria, archaea and the organelles of certain eukaryotes. Following transcription, these ribozymes autocatalytically excise themselves through self-splicing. The Ll.LtrB group II intron w…