Anita Hopper

Anita Hopper

Anita Hopper

Professor

Hopper.64@osu.edu

614/688-3306

800 Riffe Building
484 West 12th Avenue
Columbus, OH
43210

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Areas of Expertise

  • Intracellular Trafficking of RNA and Proteins
  • RNA processing
  • Yeast Genetics and Genomics


Using yeast, S. cerevisiae, as a model system we employ a multidiscipline approach to study the mechanisms of distribution of RNAs and proteins between the nucleus and cytoplasm.

A major focus is intracellular trafficking of tRNAs. Nearly all RNAs that function in protein synthesis are generated in the nucleus, but function in the cytoplasm. Conversely, many proteins generated in the cytoplasm, function in the nucleus. Employing genetic, genome-wide, biochemical, and cell biological approaches we learned that there are parallel nuclear export pathways, that export is quality controlled by components of the translation machinery that previously were thought to reside exclusively in the cytoplasm, and that nucleus/cytoplasm exchange and cellular metabolism are intricately connected. Importantly, we showed that tRNAs move retrograde from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and accumulate there under particular stress conditions - a surprising discovery. Retrograde tRNA movement also occurs in metazoans. The tRNA retrograde movement serves to regulate protein synthesis under conditions of nutrient stress by separating tRNA from the cytoplasmic translation machinery as well as a tRNA quality control mechanism.

 

Hopper Lab Members 2023
2023 Hopper Lab Members

   

Selected Recent (2015- 2022) Publications

(see CV for full publication list)

 

  • Chatterjee, K., W. Marshall, A.K. Hopper. Three tRNA nuclear exporters in S. cerevisiae: Parallel pathways, preferences, and precision. Nucleic Acids Res. 50:10140–10152 (2022).

  • Nostramo, R.T., A.K. Hopper. A Novel Assay Provides Insight into tRNAPhe Retrograde nuclear import and re-export in S. cerevisiae. Nucleic Acids Res. 48:11577-11588 (2020).

  • Hopper, A.K. Nostramo, R.T. tRNA biogenesis and subcellular trafficking proteins multitask in pathways for other RNAs. Front Genet – RNA 10:96. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00096 (2019).

  • Wan, Y., A.K. Hopper. From powerhouse to processing plant: conserved roles of mitochondrial outer membrane proteins in tRNA splicing. Genes Dev. 32:1309-1314 (2018).

  • Chatterjee, K., R.T. Nostramo, Y. Wan, A.K. Hopper. tRNA dynamics between the nucleus, cytoplasm and mitochondrial surface: location, location, location. BBA – Gene Regulatory Mechanisms 1861:373-386 (2018)

  • Chatterjee, K., S. Majumder, Y. Wan, V. Shah, J. Wu, H-Y Huang, A.K. Hopper. Sharing the load: Mex67-Mtr2 co-functions with Los1 in primary tRNA nuclear export, Genes Dev. 31:2186-2198 (2017).

  • Huang H.-Y., A.K. Hopper. Multiple layers of stress-induced regulation in tRNA Biology. Life: 6: pii: E16. (2016).

  • Wu, J., A. Bao, K. Chatterjee, Y, Wan, A.K. Hopper. Genome-wide screen uncovers novel pathways for tRNA processing and nuclear-cytoplasmic dynamics. Genes Dev. 29:2633-2644 (2015).

  • Hopper, A.K., H.Y. Huang. Quality control pathways for nuclear-encoded eukaryotic tRNA biosynthesis and subcellular trafficking. Mol. Cell. Biol. 35:2052-2058 (2015).

  • Huang, H.-Y., A.K. Hopper. In vivo biochemical analyses reveal distinct roles of b-importins and eEF1A in tRNA subcellular traffic. Genes Dev. 29:772-783 (2015)

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