Albert MacKrell

Al has been a research educator in FRI since 2006, directing the Gene Networks research group that explores the interactions between macromolecuales regulating gene expression.

Students in the Vertebrate Interactome Mapping (VIM) /Gene Networks Stream investigate the ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) that facilitate mammalian gene expression. RNPs can regulate splicing to create multiple mRNAs from a single gene, and control the stability, cellular localization and translation of mRNAs produced. We want to understand what RNPs do and how they function. To do this, we are studying the function of DExH box RNA helicases, proteins that function in gene expression by remodeling ribonucleoproteins. We are also studying the diverse collection of G patch domain containing proteins found in human cells. Proteins in this family are frequently observed interacting with DExH proteins and regulating their specificity and activity. Our primary approach involves the expression of affinity tagged proteins in mammalian cells, which permits the tag-mediated purification of complexes that contain the protein. We use this approach to understand the functions of these proteins in normal cells, and their role in the pathology of cancer and developmental defects.