We are studying how nutrients regulate signaling and transcription by O-GlcNAcylation (OGN). OGN is the addition and removal of N-acetylglucosamine from Ser(The) residues of nuclear, cytoplasmic and mitochondrial proteins. The cycling sugar is analogous to phosphorylation and has extensive crosstalk with phosphorylation, both in terms of site occupancy and in the regulation of kinases. Current Projects: Roles of OGN in regulation of transcription, particularly on basal machinery and on RNA polymerase II Develop Optogenetic methods to target the O-GlcNAc transferase to specific substrates. Roles of OGN in diabetes and glucose toxicity. Roles of OGN in regulation of protein translation and in mRNA selection. Interplay between Src kinase and OGN in cancer. Roles of OGN in Alzheimer's Disease. Research Areas: Cellular & Molecular Neuroscience Epigenetics & Chromatin Cell Biology Glycobiology Cancer Biology Drug Discovery & Development
