Dept. of Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry

Control of expression of glutathione transferases (GSTs)

• Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of GSTs
  The promoter regions and transcripts are studied with respect to identification of regulatory elements and transacting factors. Protein-DNA binding is studied using electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and RNA-protein interactions using UV-crosslinking and EMSA methods. Functions of the identified cis- and trans-acting factors are investigated in cultured cells transfected with reporter genes.
• Interplay between transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms of regulation for GSTs
  The approach is to identify of regulatory factors common to both transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation and stimuli affecting both types of processes.
• Expression/function of GST splice variants
  The splice variants of alpha-class GSTs selectively expressed in steroidogenic organs are cloned and their function studied.

Methods:

Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), UV crosslinking, cell culture, transfection, cloning, mutagenesis, radioactive labeling of DNA and RNA, in vitro transcription, transfection, reporter gene expression analysis, RT-PCR, immunoprecipitation.