Analysis of the Nocturnin gene polymorphisms in the Brazilian population

• Grant number: 12/17769-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: August 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Silvana Auxiliadora Bordin da Silva
• Grantee: Karina Hamada
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 09/50809-5 - Inflammation and immune response in obesity, AP.TEM

Abstract

Nocturnin (carboncataboliterepression 4-like - CCRN4L) is a deadenylase that regulates target gene expression by both increasing mRNA degradation and silencing of mRNA translation. Nocturnin is a circadian-regulated protein expressed in several tissues, particularly in the liver. Noc-/- mice show alteration in the rhythmic expression of several key regulator of lipid metabolism, such as SREBP1c and PPAR³, indicating that the rhythmicity of nocturnin is important to the proper regulation of liver fat metabolism. A recent meta-analysis study has identified CCRN4L as one top thirty T2DM candidate genes. The authors have also stressed that nocturnin is one of the eighteen genes with limited functional information. Thus, the aim of this project is the evaluation of the CCRN4L gene polymorphisms in a Brazilian population. Two hundred volunteers will be asked to participate in the study. Blood samples will be collected for genomic DNA extraction. Six fragments of CCRN4L gene will be amplified using conventional PCR, followed by purification and sequencing. CCRN4L polymorphisms found will be matched with BMI data in order to identify those that exhibit a high potential for further functional experiments.