Welcome to the Van Bortle Lab
Our group combines genomic, molecular, and biochemical approaches to investigate RNA polymerase III (Pol III) transcription dynamics, regulation, and function. We are probing the full extent of Pol III transcription, its tissue- and context-specific activities, and the regulatory factors and processes that modulate Pol III activity. We are also pursuing the functional activities and consequences of tissue-specific and cancer-associated small ncRNAs derived from Pol III transcription, with the overarching goal of understanding how Pol III contributes to changes in cell state, such as cell growth, differentiation, metabolism, and environmental responses.
@ University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Research
Our genes are expressed by three DNA-dependent RNA polymerase machineries. RNA polymerase III (Pol III) is unique in that it exclusively transcribes genes encoding small noncoding RNA (ncRNA). The Pol III transcriptome includes diverse ncRNAs central to many cellular processes, including transcription (7SK), translation (tRNA, 5S rRNA, 7SL), splicing and RNA processing (U6;U6atac, H1, RMRP), and additional ncRNAs that intersect a variety of other processes (e.g. Vault and autophagy).
At UIUC, we leverage large-scale genomic analyses and other approaches to survey Pol III signatures beyond its established transcriptome, to discover new forms and mechanisms of dynamic Pol III regulation, and to deconstruct the downstream molecular functions and consequences of cancer-associated ncRNAs.
Our work is supported by the University of Illinois and
funding from the National Human Genome Research Institute
Selected Publications
Cancer-associated snaR-A noncoding RNA interacts with core splicing machinery and disrupts processing of mRNA subpopulations Sihang Zhou, Simon Lizarazo, Leela Mouli, Sandip Chorghade, Ruiying Cheng, Rajendra K C, Auinash Kalsotra, Kevin Van Bortle. bioRxiv (preprint)
Evidence of RNA polymerase III recruitment and transcription at protein-coding gene promoters Rajendra K C, Ruiying Cheng, Sihang Zhou, Simon Lizarazo, Duncan Smith, Kevin Van Bortle. bioRxiv (preprint)
A combinatorial regulatory platform determines expression of RNA polymerase III subunit RPC7alpha (POLR3G) in cancer Ruiying Cheng*, Sihang Zhou*, Rajendra K C‡ , Simon Lizarazo‡ , Leela Mouli, Anshita Jayanth, Qing Liu, Kevin Van Bortle K. Cancers. 2023
The Pol III transcriptome: Basic features, recurrent patterns, and emerging roles in cancer Sihang Zhou, Kevin Van Bortle K. Wiley Interdiscip Rev RNA. 2023
RNA polymerase III transcription and cancer: A tale of two RPC7 subunits Ruiying Cheng, Kevin Van Bortle. Front Mol Biosci. 2023
Data Resources & Tools
|| dominatR Simon Lizarazo & Rajendra K C
|| RNA polymerase meta-map Rajendra K C
|| Multi-class promoter curation Rajendra K C
|| LADFreq Simon Lizarazo
|| NuRD meta-map Ruiying Cheng
|| snRNP residency Sihang Zhou
|| Multi-protein interaction prediction Rajendra K C
https://github.com/VanBortleLab
Lab Members
|| Ruiying Cheng (graduate student, Cell & Developmental Biology)
|| Grace (Bingting) He (undergrad., SIB, research assistant)
|| Rajendra K C (graduate student, Center for Biophysics & Quant. Bio.)
|| Simon Lizarazo (graduate student, Molecular & Integrative Phys.)
|| Leela Mouli (undergrad., Molecular and Cellular Biology)
|| Marco Penaherrera (undergrad., visiting scholar Univ. San Francisco de Quito)
|| Reid Walters (masters student., MCB, research assistant)
|| Sihang Zhou (graduate student, Cell & Developmental Biology)
Lab Alumni
|| David Chondroski (undergrad., Computer Science)
|| Jamie Im (undergrad., Chemistry)
|| Anshita Jayanth (undergrad., MCB)
Contact Info
kvbortle@illinois.edu
Address:
B520 CLSL
601 S. Goodwin Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
