Marilyn Kozak
Professor

Translation. mRNA structure. gene expression

Research in my laboratory concerns the mechanism of initiation of translation in eukaryotic cells. The objectives are to identify structural features in mRNA that direct ribosomes to the correct AUG codon for initiating translation. to elucidate structural features that modulate the efficiency of translation. and to try to understand how these features function.

Using recombinant DNA techniques. we modify the structures of synthetic mRNAs in various ways and then test the ability of the modified mRNAs to engage ribosomes.

Selected Publications

Kozak M. (2006) Rethinking some mechanisms invoked to explain translational regulation in eukaryotes. Gene. 382:1-11.

Kozak M. (2005) A second look at cellular mRNA sequences said to function as internal ribosome entry sites. Nucleic Acids Res. 33(20):6593-602.

Kozak. M. (2005). Regulation of translation via mRNA structure in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Gene. in press.

Kozak. M. (2004). How strong is the case for regulation of the initiation step of translation by elements at the 3' end of eukaryotic mRNAs? Gene 343: 41-54.

Kozak. M. (2003). Alternative ways to think about mRNA sequences and proteins that appear to promote internal initiation of translation. Gene 318:1-23.

Kozak. M. (2002) Emerging links between initiation of translation and human diseases. Mammalian Genome 13:401-410.

Kozak. M. (2002) Pushing the limits of the scanning mechanism for initiation of translation. Gene 299:1-34.