UNews - National Academy of Sciences

U of L student’s doctoral research published in prestigious science journal

caroline.zentner — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 17:08:40 +0000

Dr. Laura Keffer-Wilkes (MSc ’12, PhD ’16) spent four years conducting research into the function of a protein important for gene expression, and her hard work and persistence has paid off.

A few days before receiving her doctorate at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s fall convocation ceremonies, Keffer-Wilkes learned that a research paper, on which she is the lead author, had been accepted for publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in the United States. Other authors on the paper, titled The RNA modification enzyme TruB is a tRNA chaperone, include her co-worker, Dr. Govardhan Reddy Veerareddygari, and her supervisor, Dr. Ute Kothe, with the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute at the U of L.

“I’ve had a few papers published already but I’ve been second or third author. This paper represents four years of my life so it’s pretty big,” says Keffer-Wilkes. “It was a lot of work, a lot of effort and PNAS is huge. It’s a high-impact journal, so it’s an honour.”

Drs. Laura Keffer-Wilkes, left, and Ute Kothe have conducted research that will change the thinking in the field of RNA research.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment for Laura, for me and for my entire lab. It represents many years of work and will change the thinking in our field of RNA research,” says Kothe, adding they have solved a mystery about proteins that make small chemical alterations to RNA (ribonucleic acid). “To everyone’s surprise, we found out that this protein has a second, even more crucial function. The enzyme helps in folding RNA into the correct shape, so it acts as an RNA chaperone that assists RNA in its maturation.”

Their finding might just represent the tip of the iceberg as it suggests that many proteins in the cell are likely also RNA chaperones. These proteins are found in humans, where alterations in these proteins lead to diseases.

“Maybe the RNA chaperone function of many proteins is important for human health. We certainly need to investigate this more closely,” says Kothe.

“We are a lab that studies functional RNAs. These are RNAs that do jobs in the cell. What I study specifically is called transfer RNA or tRNA,” says Keffer-Wilkes. “These molecules bring amino acids to the protein-building factory (ribosome) of the cell. In order to do that, they need to have a very specific shape and stability. In order to maintain a specific shape and stability, the RNA is modified by specialized proteins called enzymes. We study the enzymes, specifically TruB, that make these modifications on tRNA and how they work.”

In the late 1990s, James Ofengand, an RNA researcher, proposed that the enzyme TruB acts as a tRNA chaperone in the cell. TruB modifies the tRNAs in a cell and Ofengand speculated that TruB was also involved in helping to protect or fold the tRNA.

“No one had ever actually tested this hypothesis. We are the first people in many years to actually sit down and figure out how and possibly why this protein is acting as a tRNA chaperone,” Keffer-Wilkes says. “We’ve shown that TruB is indeed acting as a tRNA chaperone. Surprisingly, it doesn’t need the modification activity, but binding to tRNA is critical for its chaperone function.”

At the start, DNA gets photocopied into messenger RNA, which then gets read in the ribosome where tRNA decodes the message. Before it can decode the message, tRNAs need to transform from a long chain into a three-dimensional L-shape to perform their job. TruB helps tRNAs organize themselves so they fold into the right shape and assume the correct orientation. TruB is just one of many different enzymes to modify tRNA that may also have a second function.

“Now that we know that TruB is a tRNA chaperone, we want to look at other enzymes that also act on RNAs and see if they are chaperones as well. Maybe a network of chaperones help to make sure tRNAs function properly. Any change in these proteins or RNAs could result in cancer or other diseases,” says Keffer-Wilkes. “It does give us more information about how RNAs are made, which in combination with other research in RNA biogenesis, will definitely help our understanding of how some diseases develop.”

Keffer-Wilkes is originally from Ontario and, after completing a BSc at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Guelph, took an eight-month contract through a government internship program to work at the Lethbridge research station.

“The Lethbridge Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Centre has a lot of PhD and master’s students so I wanted to follow in their footsteps. Plus, I really like biochemistry,” says Keffer-Wilkes, adding she contacted Kothe in 2009 and officially started a master’s degree under her supervision in May of 2010. “She really liked my experience; I really liked her and her lab. Her research was interesting. She’s young and being a woman who’s so successful at such a young age is very inspiring. She’s a great mentor.”

Keffer-Wilkes completed an MSc in 2012 and soon started on a doctoral degree, all the while being involved in science outreach activities like Let’s Talk Science and Spooky Science Weekend, and teaching a couple of university courses.

“I’ve always liked teaching. My parents would have to suffer through me coming home and, at the dinner table, giving speeches and tutorials about all the things that I learned that day,” she says.

Keffer-Wilkes is now the program coordinator for Destination Exploration at the U of L. She develops activities and labs for elementary to high-school-aged students and she also teaches a couple of days a week and at community events.

“What I’d eventually like to get into is curriculum development. I think the way we teach science education could be improved so I’d like to get in there and shake things up a bit,” she says.

U of L inks international agreements

trevor.kenney — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:59:31 +0000

Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine – The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge today expanded its linkages in the Ukraine by signing agreements with two research universities.

On behalf of the U of L, Vice-President (Research) Dan Weeks signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ (IFNMU) to collaborate on research studies in occupational and environmental exposures to ionizing radiation. These studies will include the effects of industrial pollutants.

On Tuesday, Weeks signed an MOU with the R.E. Kavetsky, Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the National Research Centre for Radiation Medicine of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine (RCRM) to study the epigenetic effects on the workers at the Chernobyl power plants including cancer occurrences.

Epigenetics is the study of how an individual gene can go wrong or not work properly over a person's lifetime, and in in response to environmental conditions or other factors. (Epigenetics means beyond genetics in Latin).

Weeks also signed an MOU with the Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Oil and Gas (IFNTUOG). This MOU focuses on collaborative efforts in the areas of remote sensing, geomatics, water quality monitoring and water resource management. This collaboration includes the possible exchange of faculty and graduate students in these fields.

Weeks is currently participating in a mission in Ukraine led by the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) aimed at formalizing linkages between Canada and Ukraine, and their post-secondary sectors. The trip includes Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Deans representing Universities from across Canada.

Ukraine connections solidified

trevor.kenney — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:36:19 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has formalized linkages with two Ukrainian research institutions to perform collaborative research in the area of occupational and environmental effects of ionizing radiation.

Earlier today, Vice-President (Research) Dan Weeks signed, on behalf of the U of L, a memorandum of understanding with the R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the National Research Centre for Radiation Medicine of the Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine (RCRM).

Research performed under the agreement will include studying the epigenetic effects* of ionizing radiation on the workers at the Chernobyl power plants, including resultant cancer occurrences.

In addition to research linkages, future collaborations could also include the exchange of faculty and students between the three institutions.

Weeks is currently participating in a mission in Ukraine led by the Canadian Bureau for International Education aimed at formalizing linkages between Canada and Ukraine, and their post-secondary sectors. The trip includes Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Deans representing Universities from across Canada.

The U of L is a demonstrated leader in epigenetic research. Last week, U of L researcher Dr. Olga Kovalchuk was the recipient of a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Chair dedicated to examining the effects occupational radiation exposure has on men and women working in nuclear industries. Learn more here.

* Epigenetics (which means 'beyond genetics' in Latin) is the study of how individual genes and components of individual genes can change in response to environmental conditions or other factors. In addition to the hard-wired traits in DNA, epigenetic changes can occur in response to a change in lifestyle or other trigger (in this case, radiation exposure) and can be passed from one generation to another.

Rasmussen's contributions earn Ingrid Speaker Medal

trevor.kenney — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:40:30 +0000

Professor of biological sciences Dr. Joseph Rasmussen has made outstanding contributions in fisheries and aquatic biology for three decades.

For his distinguished record of achievement and enduring contributions to these areas of study, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has named Rasmussen as the recipient of the 2012 Ingrid Speaker Medal for Distinguished Research, Scholarship, or Performance.

Dr. Joseph Rasmussen continues to earn accolades for his aquatic research projects.

A Tier 1 Canada Research Chair, Rasmussen is the director of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Water Institute for Sustainable Environments (WISE). His research papers have been published in several elite science journals, including Nature, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Ecology Letters, Ecological Monographs and the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, the latter of which is the leading international journal for aquatic sciences.

Some of Rasmussen's work has resulted in crucial research advances. He is a pioneer in using stable isotopes to characterize food web systems, and his work has had major impacts on biomagnification, toxic substances and studies of the invasion by exotic species. His expertise in aquatic ecology led to his appointment to Environment Canada's National Oilsands Review Panel. In 2010, the Society of Canadian Limnologists awarded him the Frank H. Rigler Memorial Award, the society's highest honour.

"It was very gratifying to receive an award that has been given to many excellent scientists over the years, and to have my name associated with that of professor Rigler, who had such a profound impact on limnology and aquatic science in general," says Rasmussen of the honour.

His work has had significant scholarly impact as well. Rasmussen's cumulative citation record is impressive, with over 7,000 citations on the Web of Science, and over 9,000 on Google Scholar, showing that his research papers are very influential in advancing the field of ecology.

This story first appeared in the May issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

An Apple A Day - Trouble with Trans Fats

trevor.kenney — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 23:14:50 +0000

Are you used to grabbing a muffin for a quick energy boost? How about munching on a donut to fill your stomach until you can get home to eat? You may be filling up on trans fats and increasing your bad cholesterol (LDL).

Trans fats increase our bad cholesterol (LDL), and decrease our good cholesterol (HDL), making them the worst kind of fat for your heart health. According to Health Canada, Canadians consume about 8.4 grams of trans fats daily. That's bad news according to the World Health Organization and the National Academy of Sciences.

Trans fats are very useful in the fast-food industry because they are a very stable fat for repeated bouts of deep-frying. Trans fats are also found in processed or packaged foods because they increase product shelf life.

Their abundance in our food chain makes it almost impossible to consume no trans fats. The goal is to reduce trans fat consumption. Here are some tips to decrease your trans fat intake:

Eat less processed foods

Bake your own muffins using healthy oils such as olive, canola or sunflower oil.

Enjoy fresh rather than fried

Choose wraps, pitas, subs and sandwiches made with whole grain breads.

Limit fast food

Pack meals and snacks from home and avoid the inherent trans fats in most fast food products.

Smart snacking

If you want crackers, choose low fat crackers such as WASA bread, Ryvita crackers or Stone Wheat Thins. And keep nutritious snacks handy. Try eating nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, yogurt, homemade muffins, fig newtons, graham wafers and air-popped popcorn instead of doughnuts, cookies, chips, microwave popcorn or chocolate bars.

Diane Britton is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's on-campus registered dietitian

For an individual nutrition appointment, call the Health Centre (SU020) at
403-329-2484. Initial sessions are $40.

For a look at the February issue of the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - National Academy of Sciences

U of L student’s doctoral research published in prestigious science journal

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U of L inks international agreements

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Ukraine connections solidified

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Rasmussen's contributions earn Ingrid Speaker Medal

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An Apple A Day - Trouble with Trans Fats

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