Dr Joost Zomerdijk

Position:	Reader in Gene Regulation and Expression
Address:	College of Life Sciences University of Dundee Dundee
Telephone:	+44 (0)1382 384242, internal ext. 84242
Email:	j.c.b.m.zomerdijk@dundee.ac.uk
Links:	Zomerdijk Lab Website

Research Overview

Molecular mechanisms and control in transcription by RNA polymerase I

Appropriately coordinated expression of genes is essential for normal cell growth, development and differentiation in all organisms. The control of expression of many genes in eukaryotes occurs at the level of transcription. The central objective in our laboratory is to achieve an understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in transcription of the ribosomal RNA genes, mediated by RNA polymerase I, and the cellular control of this process (1,2). rRNA synthesis drives ribosome biogenesis and, therefore, is associated intricately with cell growth and proliferation. Deregulation of this process can lead to cell death, hyperproliferation or hypertrophy and has been linked to specific cancers and heart disease.

Our research is directed towards determination of:

the role of the essential promoter selective TBP-TAF complex SL1 in coordinating the formation of transcription pre-initiation complexes (3,4);
the molecular mechanism of activation by UBF of promoter escape by Pol I (5,6)
the dynamics of the Pol I proteome (7)
the link between cell growth and proliferation and Pol I transcription (7,8)
the factors involved in promoting transcription elongation and re-initiation
the roles of novel growth-regulated and Pol I-associated factors in human cells (7,9,10)

Selected Recent Publications

Naidu, S., Friedrich, J.K., Russell, J. and Zomerdijk, J.C.B.M. (2011) TAF1B is a TFIIB-like component of the basal transcription machinery for RNA Polymerase I. Science 333:1640-1642. View Paper

Birch, J.L., Tan, B.C., Panov, K.I., Panova, T.B., Andersen, J.S., Owen-Hughes, T.A., Russell, J., Lee, S.C. and Zomerdijk, J.C. (2009) FACT facilitates chromatin transcription by RNA polymerases I and III. EMBO J. 28(7):854-65. View Paper

Birch, J.L. and Zomerdijk, J.C. (2008) Structure and function of ribosomal RNA gene chromatin. Biochem Soc Trans. 36:619-624.

Gorski, J.J., Pathak, S., Panov, K., Kasciukovic, T., Panova, T., Russell, J. and Zomerdijk, J.C.B.M. (2007) A novel TBP-associated factor of SL1 functions in RNA polymerase I transcription. EMBO J. 26:1560-1568. View Paper

Panova, T.B., Panov, K.I., Russell, J. and Zomerdijk, J.C. (2006) Casein kinase 2 associates with initiation-competent RNA polymerase I and has multiple roles in ribosomal DNA transcription. Mol Cell Biol. 26:5957-5968. View Paper

Panov, K.I., Friedrich, J.K., Russell, J. and Zomerdijk, J.C. (2006) UBF activates RNA polymerase I transcription by stimulating promoterescape.EMBO J. 25:3310-3322. View Paper

Panov, K.I., Panova, T.B., Gadal, O., Nishiyama, K., Saito, T., Russell, J. and Zomerdijk, J.C. (2006) RNA polymerase I-specific subunit CAST/hPAF49 has a role in the activation of transcription by upstream binding factor. Mol Cell Biol. 26:5436-5448. View Paper

Russell, J. and Zomerdijk, J.C.B.M. (2006) The RNA polymerase I transcription machinery. Biochem Soc Symp. 73:203-216.

Russell, J. and Zomerdijk, J.C. (2005) RNA-polymerase-I-directed rDNA transcription, life and works. Trends Biochem Sci. 30:87-96.

Friedrich, J.K., Panov, K.I., Cabart, P., Russell, J. and Zomerdijk, J.C. (2005) TBP-TAF complex SL1 directs RNA polymerase I pre-initiation complex formation and stabilizes upstream binding factor at the rDNA promoter. J Biol Chem. 280:29551-29558. View Paper

James, M.J. and Zomerdijk, J.C. (2004) Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and mTOR signaling pathways regulate RNA polymerase I transcription in response to IGF-1 and nutrients. J Biol Chem. 279:8911-8918. View Paper