Prof. Limor Broday

The central goal of this project is to understand how the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) regulates the assembly and function of a specific type of subcellular organelles, membraneless organelles.

The C. elegans germline contains germ granules (P granules) which are membraneless organelles and were well studied for their role in the maintenance of the germline potential. The C. elegans P granule was the first membraneless organelle found to be formed by liquid–liquid phase separation.

The P granules are responsible for mRNA surveillance required for germline expression across generations and are essential for fertility in the adult. In this project the student will use genetics, biochemistry, proteomics, molecular biology and microscopy to study how SUMO is involved in the regulation of these subcellular organelles.

This is a basic science project. Our findings have a potential to be translated to the development of new drugs in the future as impaired phase-separation processes were observed in diseases, mainly neurological diseases.