Daniel Cifuentes, PhD
Associate Professor, Biochemistry & Cell Biology
Biography
Our research goals in the Cifuentes laboratory aim to understand the molecular mechanisms of RNA regulation. In particular, we focus on the study of RNA-binding proteins, microRNAs, and RNA modifications to uncover their impact on small RNA biogenesis and mRNA post-transcriptional regulation. To address these goals, the lab combines high-throughput genetic, genomic, and proteomic approaches applied to two independent but technically interconnected areas: vertebrate development and viral replication, using zebrafish and filoviruses as primary model systems.
Role of post-transcriptional regulation during vertebrate embryogenesis:
The beginning of a new life is one of the most enigmatic and dynamic events in Biology. Right after fertilization, multiple cell division occur without any contribution of the transcriptionally silent genome. Therefore, the first embryonic processes are organized at post-transcriptional level. Our laboratory focuses on the study of how small RNA and RNA-binding proteins regulate mRNA stability and decay. To this end, we use zebrafish as a model system to dissect the process of post-transcriptional reprogramming within the context of a whole organism. The combination of fish embryo microinjections, together with powerful genetic, genomic, and proteomic approaches provides a unique platform to address this central question in biology.
Regulation of transcription, replication and translation in RNA viruses:
Filovirus and Arenavirus belong to the group of Viruses of Concern (VOCs) with epidemic and pandemic potential as identified by the World Health Organization. Their common feature is that these viruses have an RNA genome, and as such, RNA regulation take center stage in orchestrating the infection cycle of these viruses. In our laboratory, we investigate 1) how small RNAs and RNA binding protein govern the balance between transcription and replication in Filovirus (Ebola and Marburg virus) and 2) how secondary RNA structures and cellular factors regulate translation of viral mRNAs in Arenavirus (Lassa virus). To this end, we capitalize in our long-standing collaboration with the group of Prof. Mühlberger at the National Emerging Disease Laboratory (NEIDL) at Boston University.
Other Positions
- Assistant Professor, Virology, Immunology & Microbiology, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Member, Genome Science Institute, Boston University
Education
- Universidad de Barcelona, PhD
- Universidad de Barcelona, BS
Publications
- Published on 10/23/2024
Galeano D, Imrat, Haltom J, Andolino C, Yousey A, Zaksas V, Das S, Baylin SB, Wallace DC, Slack FJ, Enguita FJ, Wurtele ES, Teegarden D, Meller R, Cifuentes D, Beheshti A. sChemNET: a deep learning framework for predicting small molecules targeting microRNA function. Nat Commun. 2024 Oct 23; 15(1):9149. PMID: 39443444.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 7/1/2024
Ross SJ, Hume AJ, Olejnik J, Turcinovic J, Honko AN, McKay LGA, Connor JH, Griffiths A, Mühlberger E, Cifuentes D. Low-Input, High-Resolution 5' Terminal Filovirus RNA Sequencing with ViBE-Seq. Viruses. 2024 Jul 01; 16(7). PMID: 39066227.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/7/2024
Kretov DA, Folkes L, Mora-Martin A, Walawalkar IA, Imrat, Syedah N, Vanuytsel K, Moxon S, Murphy GJ, Cifuentes D. The miR-144/Hmgn2 regulatory axis orchestrates chromatin organization during erythropoiesis. Nat Commun. 2024 May 07; 15(1):3821. PMID: 38714702.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 11/13/2023
Nelson EV, Ross SJ, Olejnik J, Hume AJ, Deeney DJ, King E, Grimins AO, Lyons SM, Cifuentes D, Mühlberger E. The 3' Untranslated Regions of Ebola Virus mRNAs Contain AU-Rich Elements Involved in Posttranscriptional Stabilization and Decay. J Infect Dis. 2023 Nov 13; 228(Supplement_7):S488-S497. PMID: 37551415.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 7/19/2023
Kretov DA, Folkes L, Mora-Martin A, Syedah N, Walawalkar IA, Vanyustel K, Moxon S, Murphy GJ, Cifuentes D. The miR-144/Hmgn2 regulatory axis orchestrates chromatin organization during erythropoiesis. bioRxiv. 2023 Jul 19. PMID: 37503141.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 7/22/2022
Shang R, Kretov DA, Adamson SI, Treiber T, Treiber N, Vedanayagam J, Chuang JH, Meister G, Cifuentes D, Lai EC. Regulated dicing of pre-mir-144 via reshaping of its terminal loop. Nucleic Acids Res. 2022 Jul 22; 50(13):7637-7654. PMID: 35801921.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 6/24/2022
Hume AJ, Heiden B, Olejnik J, Suder EL, Ross S, Scoon WA, Bullitt E, Ericsson M, White MR, Turcinovic J, Thao TTN, Hekman RM, Kaserman JE, Huang J, Alysandratos KD, Toth GE, Jakab F, Kotton DN, Wilson AA, Emili A, Thiel V, Connor JH, Kemenesi G, Cifuentes D, Mühlberger E. Correction: Recombinant Lloviu virus as a tool to study viral replication and host responses. PLoS Pathog. 2022 Jun; 18(6):e1010659. PMID: 35749346.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 2/4/2022
Hume AJ, Heiden B, Olejnik J, Suder EL, Ross S, Scoon WA, Bullitt E, Ericsson M, White MR, Turcinovic J, Thao TTN, Hekman RM, Kaserman JE, Huang J, Alysandratos KD, Toth GE, Jakab F, Kotton DN, Wilson AA, Emili A, Thiel V, Connor JH, Kemenesi G, Cifuentes D, Mühlberger E. Recombinant Lloviu virus as a tool to study viral replication and host responses. PLoS Pathog. 2022 02; 18(2):e1010268. PMID: 35120176.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 9/20/2021
Floro J, Dai A, Metzger A, Mora-Martin A, Ganem NJ, Cifuentes D, Wu CS, Dalal J, Lyons SM, Labadorf A, Flynn RL. SDE2 is an essential gene required for ribosome biogenesis and the regulation of alternative splicing. Nucleic Acids Res. 2021 09 20; 49(16):9424-9443. PMID: 34365507.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 1/7/2021
Hekman RM, Hume AJ, Goel RK, Abo KM, Huang J, Blum BC, Werder RB, Suder EL, Paul I, Phanse S, Youssef A, Alysandratos KD, Padhorny D, Ojha S, Mora-Martin A, Kretov D, Ash PEA, Verma M, Zhao J, Patten JJ, Villacorta-Martin C, Bolzan D, Perea-Resa C, Bullitt E, Hinds A, Tilston-Lunel A, Varelas X, Farhangmehr S, Braunschweig U, Kwan JH, McComb M, Basu A, Saeed M, Perissi V, Burks EJ, Layne MD, Connor JH, Davey R, Cheng JX, Wolozin BL, Blencowe BJ, Wuchty S, Lyons SM, Kozakov D, Cifuentes D, Blower M, Kotton DN, Wilson AA, Mühlberger E, Emili A. Actionable Cytopathogenic Host Responses of Human Alveolar Type 2 Cells to SARS-CoV-2. Mol Cell. 2021 Jan 07; 81(1):212. PMID: 33417854.
Read at: PubMed
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