한빛사 인터뷰
RNAi(interference) is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism causing dsRNA mediated gene silencing, from cilia to human. Although many components involved in RNAi are discovered, the mechanism of RNAi is largely unknown. There are two main protein families involved in RNAi. One is Dicer protein family, and the other is argonaute protein family. These two protein families contain PAZ domains of which function was totally unknown. In this study, we determined 3-dimensional structure of PAZ domain with X-ray crystallography, and show that PAZ domain binds to characteristic 3' end of siRNA(small interfering RNA), which is silence-mediating molecules in RNAi.
- Can you please tell us the main difficulties you had in the laboratory work and how you overcame them?
Main difficulties of this projects are making high quality crystals and competition. It took almost one year from initial crystal to high quality crystal. This was done by really extensive search of additive and cryo-condition, and these could not be found with conventional way. I realized that sometimes, unconventional way to do experiments help a lot. Second, Competition, this can not be overcame, since other two papers about this domain are publishing in Nature.
2. Please introduce your laboratory, university or organization to bio-researchers in Korea.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory(www.cshl.edu) is a MECA in biological sciences, since many early discoveries in biological science were discovered in CSHL, such as Hershey's experiments showing that DNA is genetic material, McClintock‘s research finding jumping gene, etc. And last year, CSHL was nominated as the first TOP highly cited institute in Biological Science in recent decades. Although CSHL has more than 100 year history, CSHL launched new Ph.D program 4 years ago, called Watson School of Biological Sciences named after James D. Watson who is co-discoverer of Double Strand DNA, and who is currently president of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Although Watson School is new school, Watson School is catching prestige of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Watson School is accepting 6-9 students per years. All students came Watson School rather other prestige University such as Harvard, Yale, Reckefeller, etc MIT, because Watson School has innovative Ph.D program aiming not only great scientist but also leader in biological science in new era. Detail can be found at www.cshl.edu/gradschool/
3. Please tell us your experiences and your thoughts related to research activities abroad.
I think that major components in successful research are facilities, information, and idea. In regard to facilities, many places in Korea equiped comparable facilities to other major research institute in US. However, there seems to be a lot room to improve about information and idea about research.
4. Can you provide some advice for younger scientists who have plans to study abroad?
Language should not be problem in your scientific career.
5. Do you have anything else that you'd like to tell Korean scientists and students?
I think that the most important thing during especially graduate school, is to get ability to ask right question and to see what is critical thing in their own research. In these days, Ph.D seems to be just license to do science, so it is critical to have qualified ability to do science for their own life rather than just publishing a few good papers after graduate.
Received for article November 27, 2003 |
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