Mehdi Jafarnejad
@rnanomad.bsky.social
mRNA translation & RNA biology.... Principal Investigator @QubPGJCCR.
https://jafarnejad-lab.com
https://jafarnejad-lab.com
Pinned
Mehdi Jafarnejad
@rnanomad.bsky.social
· Apr 24
Codon-dependent regulation of mRNA translation and stability by ZC3H7A and ZC3H7B RNA-binding proteins
Decelerated translation elongation caused by non-optimal codons can reduce mRNA stability through codon optimality-mediated mRNA degradation. A key element of this process is the coupling of sensing t...
www.biorxiv.org
We have a new preprint, led by @pharrissnell.bsky.social & (former) postdoc Parisa Naeli. We report a chordate-specific mechanism, mediated by 2 prologue RBPs ZC3H7A/B, that links codon usage to mRNA translation/stability.
Huge thanks to our amazing collaborators!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Huge thanks to our amazing collaborators!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
Check out our latest work on how collided ribosomes activate the MAP3K ZAK! 💫
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A fun collaboration with @beckmannlab.bsky.social @doubleshuang.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A fun collaboration with @beckmannlab.bsky.social @doubleshuang.bsky.social
ZAK activation at the collided ribosome - Nature
The kinase ZAK is activated at collided ribosomes to mediate the ribotoxic stress response.
www.nature.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Check out our latest work on how collided ribosomes activate the MAP3K ZAK! 💫
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A fun collaboration with @beckmannlab.bsky.social @doubleshuang.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
A fun collaboration with @beckmannlab.bsky.social @doubleshuang.bsky.social
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
Programmable initiation of mRNA translation by trans-RNA - @cornelluniversity.bsky.social @iecb.bsky.social go.nature.com/3K7SEdO
Programmable initiation of mRNA translation by trans-RNA - Nature Biotechnology
Translation can be initiated from a specific start codon using trans-RNA.
go.nature.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Programmable initiation of mRNA translation by trans-RNA - @cornelluniversity.bsky.social @iecb.bsky.social go.nature.com/3K7SEdO
We’ll soon be advertising a postdoc position (3 years) to study how mRNA-specific translational regulation shapes the innate immune system, in collaboration with @alf-castello.bsky.social. The formal ad will be out soon but get in touch if you’d like an informal chat! #RNASky
November 11, 2025 at 3:53 PM
We’ll soon be advertising a postdoc position (3 years) to study how mRNA-specific translational regulation shapes the innate immune system, in collaboration with @alf-castello.bsky.social. The formal ad will be out soon but get in touch if you’d like an informal chat! #RNASky
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
🚨 New paper alert!!
RNA-binding proteins ZFP36L1 & ZFP36L2 act as guardians of genome stability in fast-dividing germinal center B cells.
A new mechanism showing how post-transcriptional control keeps our immune cells in check!
#RNA #Bcells #GenomeStability
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
RNA-binding proteins ZFP36L1 & ZFP36L2 act as guardians of genome stability in fast-dividing germinal center B cells.
A new mechanism showing how post-transcriptional control keeps our immune cells in check!
#RNA #Bcells #GenomeStability
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
RNA binding proteins control the G2-M checkpoint of the germinal center B cell
Germinal center B cells rely on ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 to control cell division and avoid replication stress that leads to apoptosis.
www.science.org
November 3, 2025 at 8:46 AM
🚨 New paper alert!!
RNA-binding proteins ZFP36L1 & ZFP36L2 act as guardians of genome stability in fast-dividing germinal center B cells.
A new mechanism showing how post-transcriptional control keeps our immune cells in check!
#RNA #Bcells #GenomeStability
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
RNA-binding proteins ZFP36L1 & ZFP36L2 act as guardians of genome stability in fast-dividing germinal center B cells.
A new mechanism showing how post-transcriptional control keeps our immune cells in check!
#RNA #Bcells #GenomeStability
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Come and join us at Queen’s University Belfast via these tenure-track independent fellowships.
www.qub.ac.uk/Research/fel...
www.qub.ac.uk/Research/fel...
Our Illuminate Global Challenges Fellowships | Research | Queen's University Belfast
www.qub.ac.uk
October 27, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Come and join us at Queen’s University Belfast via these tenure-track independent fellowships.
www.qub.ac.uk/Research/fel...
www.qub.ac.uk/Research/fel...
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
Colliding ribosomes are potent signals of cellular stress. But do cells use ‘programmed’ ribosome collisions to regulate gene expression? I’m excited to present a new story from my lab led by Frederick Rehfeld(@fred-rehfeld.bsky.social) which revealed that the answer is YES! Read on to find out how👇
Oxidative stress sensing by the translation elongation machinery promotes production of detoxifying selenoproteins
Selenocysteine, incorporated into polypeptides at recoded termination codons, plays an essential role in redox biology. Using GPX1 and GPX4, selenoenzymes that mitigate oxidative stress, as reporters,...
www.biorxiv.org
October 14, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Colliding ribosomes are potent signals of cellular stress. But do cells use ‘programmed’ ribosome collisions to regulate gene expression? I’m excited to present a new story from my lab led by Frederick Rehfeld(@fred-rehfeld.bsky.social) which revealed that the answer is YES! Read on to find out how👇
@alf-castello.bsky.social & I are inviting applications for a competitive PhD studentship to study the mechanisms of translational regulation of the host response to RNA virus infections. The student will be based at Uni. Glasgow. Please spread the word. #RNASky
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
University of Glasgow - Postgraduate study - Centres for Doctoral Training - NorthWest Biosciences - Our Projects - Understanding Pathogens, from Molecules to Phenotypes - Alfredo Castello
www.gla.ac.uk
October 3, 2025 at 11:44 AM
@alf-castello.bsky.social & I are inviting applications for a competitive PhD studentship to study the mechanisms of translational regulation of the host response to RNA virus infections. The student will be based at Uni. Glasgow. Please spread the word. #RNASky
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate...
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Delighted to share the story of two germline RBPs - one with little (DND1) and one with no (NANOS3) intrinsic sequence-specificity - that together build a continuous RNA binding surface recognizing a 7-mer (AUGAAUU) in target mRNA 3’UTRs, leading to deadenylation.
Delighted to share the story of two germline RBPs - one with little (DND1) and one with no (NANOS3) intrinsic sequence-specificity - that together build a continuous RNA binding surface recognizing a 7-mer (AUGAAUU) in target mRNA 3’UTRs, leading to deadenylation.
The DND1-NANOS3 complex shapes the primordial germ cell transcriptome via a heptanucleotide sequence in mRNA 3'UTRs
The RNA-binding proteins DND1 and NANOS3 are essential for primordial germ cell survival. Their co-immunoprecipitation and overlapping loss-of-function phenotypes suggest joint function, yet how they ...
www.biorxiv.org
September 27, 2025 at 3:39 PM
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Delighted to share the story of two germline RBPs - one with little (DND1) and one with no (NANOS3) intrinsic sequence-specificity - that together build a continuous RNA binding surface recognizing a 7-mer (AUGAAUU) in target mRNA 3’UTRs, leading to deadenylation.
Delighted to share the story of two germline RBPs - one with little (DND1) and one with no (NANOS3) intrinsic sequence-specificity - that together build a continuous RNA binding surface recognizing a 7-mer (AUGAAUU) in target mRNA 3’UTRs, leading to deadenylation.
Amazing paper & very cool mechanism!
Collective challenges need collective solutions. Happy to share the insights we've gained from the way our cells handle this: www.nature.com/articles/s41... and its summary www.crick.ac.uk/news/2025-09....
LinkedIn
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lnkd.in
September 24, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Amazing paper & very cool mechanism!
Looking forward to a few days of exciting discussions at the #EMBLProtein synthesis and translational control meeting www.embl.org/about/info/c...
Protein synthesis and translational control
www.embl.org
September 3, 2025 at 5:09 AM
Looking forward to a few days of exciting discussions at the #EMBLProtein synthesis and translational control meeting www.embl.org/about/info/c...
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
We have an opening for a Postdoctoral Fellow to join us in exploring fundamental questions at the interface of protein synthesis defects and stress-responsive signaling pathways. utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/187... #RNAsky
Post Doc Res Assoc
Postdoc with a primary duty consisting research-related work. Required to meet FLSA threshold to be paid on a salaried basis, otherwise employment record will convert to hourly.
utah.peopleadmin.com
August 29, 2025 at 3:51 PM
We have an opening for a Postdoctoral Fellow to join us in exploring fundamental questions at the interface of protein synthesis defects and stress-responsive signaling pathways. utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/187... #RNAsky
The Svedberg unit!
What's a bit of jargon in your field that everyone pretends to understand but, really doesn't?
You know. Those -nods- "mmhm... interesting" type words.
You know. Those -nods- "mmhm... interesting" type words.
July 31, 2025 at 7:22 AM
The Svedberg unit!
FMRP represses translation by competing with eIF4G1 for binding to cap-bound eIF4E
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
FMRP drives mRNP targets into translationally silenced complexes
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) results from a deficiency of the ubiquitously expressed RNA-binding protein fragile X protein (FMRP). While FMRP-mediated tra…
www.sciencedirect.com
July 16, 2025 at 5:28 AM
FMRP represses translation by competing with eIF4G1 for binding to cap-bound eIF4E
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Few places can compete with the drama of Scottish landscape. Now imagine that along with some great science!
June 30, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Few places can compete with the drama of Scottish landscape. Now imagine that along with some great science!
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
We’re #hiring, please share! A fully funded #postdoc position is available in my lab to work on DNA damage response mechanisms.
Please get in touch with your CV if you are interested; closing date: 27th June 2025.
More details here: candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationI...
Please get in touch with your CV if you are interested; closing date: 27th June 2025.
More details here: candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationI...
Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Blackford Group
A position as Postdoctoral Research Associate is available at the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, in the group headed by Dr. Andrew Blackford. Th
candidate.hr-manager.net
May 29, 2025 at 11:26 AM
We’re #hiring, please share! A fully funded #postdoc position is available in my lab to work on DNA damage response mechanisms.
Please get in touch with your CV if you are interested; closing date: 27th June 2025.
More details here: candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationI...
Please get in touch with your CV if you are interested; closing date: 27th June 2025.
More details here: candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationI...
A challenging observation about the GRB10-interacting GYF protein 2 (GIGYF2), linked to autism and the antiviral innate immune response. Unlike its mouse homologue, the human GIGYF2 does not interact with GRB10! www.life-science-alliance.org/content/8/9/...
No evidence that human GIGYF2 interacts with GRB10: implications for human disease
GIGYF2 (growth factor receptor–bound protein 10 [GRB10]-interacting GYF [glycine–tyrosine–phenylalanine] protein 2) reduces mRNA stability and translation via microRNAs, ribosome quality control, and ...
www.life-science-alliance.org
June 17, 2025 at 8:34 AM
A challenging observation about the GRB10-interacting GYF protein 2 (GIGYF2), linked to autism and the antiviral innate immune response. Unlike its mouse homologue, the human GIGYF2 does not interact with GRB10! www.life-science-alliance.org/content/8/9/...
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
🚨 We’re looking for a curious mind to join our lab at the NIH!
Passionate about #RNA biology, #MachineLearning, and the #genomics of #aging?
Interested in a postdoc or a PhD research visit at NIH? Let’s connect.
📩 DM or email for details!
#Bioinformatics #AI #ComputationalBiology
Passionate about #RNA biology, #MachineLearning, and the #genomics of #aging?
Interested in a postdoc or a PhD research visit at NIH? Let’s connect.
📩 DM or email for details!
#Bioinformatics #AI #ComputationalBiology
June 4, 2025 at 5:30 PM
🚨 We’re looking for a curious mind to join our lab at the NIH!
Passionate about #RNA biology, #MachineLearning, and the #genomics of #aging?
Interested in a postdoc or a PhD research visit at NIH? Let’s connect.
📩 DM or email for details!
#Bioinformatics #AI #ComputationalBiology
Passionate about #RNA biology, #MachineLearning, and the #genomics of #aging?
Interested in a postdoc or a PhD research visit at NIH? Let’s connect.
📩 DM or email for details!
#Bioinformatics #AI #ComputationalBiology
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
Opportunities if you're interested in immunity: we have projects on RNA binding proteins in B & T cell memory and effector responses. marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/calls/msca-p...
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025
MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships enhance the creative and innovative potential of researchers holding a PhD and who wish to acquire new skills through advanced training, international, interdisciplinary ...
marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu
May 28, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Opportunities if you're interested in immunity: we have projects on RNA binding proteins in B & T cell memory and effector responses. marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/calls/msca-p...
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
Delighted to share paper on translational activity of 80S monosomes across different tissues in 🪰 in @narjournal.bsky.social thanks to fabulous team Albert Blandy Tayah Hopes Elton Vasconcelos @amy-turner96.bsky.social Bulat Fatkhullin Michaela Agapiou Juan Fontana academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
Translational activity of 80S monosomes varies dramatically across different tissues
Abstract. Translational regulation at the stage of initiation can impact the number of ribosomes translating each mRNA molecule. However, the translational
academic.oup.com
May 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Delighted to share paper on translational activity of 80S monosomes across different tissues in 🪰 in @narjournal.bsky.social thanks to fabulous team Albert Blandy Tayah Hopes Elton Vasconcelos @amy-turner96.bsky.social Bulat Fatkhullin Michaela Agapiou Juan Fontana academic.oup.com/nar/article/...
ZNF574 is a quality control factor for defective ribosome biogenesis intermediates
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
ZNF574 is a quality control factor for defective ribosome biogenesis intermediates
Eukaryotic ribosome assembly is an intricate process that involves four ribosomal RNAs, 80 ribosomal proteins, and over 200 biogenesis factors that pa…
www.sciencedirect.com
May 6, 2025 at 10:11 AM
ZNF574 is a quality control factor for defective ribosome biogenesis intermediates
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
We have a competitive PhD studentship in my lab to study the role of mRNA translation and quality control mechanisms in cellular response to anti-cancer treatments in AML. Please share with your network and if interested apply through the link below.
#PhD
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
#PhD
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Improving AML treatment efficacy by targeting mRNA and protein quality control mechanisms at Queen’s University Belfast on FindAPhD.com
PhD Project - Improving AML treatment efficacy by targeting mRNA and protein quality control mechanisms at Queen’s University Belfast, listed on FindAPhD.com
www.findaphd.com
May 2, 2025 at 8:55 AM
We have a competitive PhD studentship in my lab to study the role of mRNA translation and quality control mechanisms in cellular response to anti-cancer treatments in AML. Please share with your network and if interested apply through the link below.
#PhD
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
#PhD
www.findaphd.com/phds/project...
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
Translation UK abstract deadline is tomorrow!
Are you registered for the 30th Translation UK meeting? This year, our ever-popular conference is taking place at the incredible University of Edinburgh! Be quick - abstract submission and earlybird discount ends 30 April. 🧪
Register today: www.eventsforce.net/biochemsoc/2...
Register today: www.eventsforce.net/biochemsoc/2...
April 29, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Translation UK abstract deadline is tomorrow!
Reposted by Mehdi Jafarnejad
Checkout our review article at PLOS. Happy to see the thoughts of Stefano and myself on influenza virus RNA trafficking published in PLOS Pathogens a few days ago. A topic we are both greatly interested in. dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
Influenza A virus RNA localisation and the interceding trafficking pathways of the host cell
Viruses have evolved to efficiently navigate host cells to deliver, express, and replicate their genetic material. Understanding the mechanisms underlying viral RNA localisation is paramount to design...
dx.plos.org
April 27, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Checkout our review article at PLOS. Happy to see the thoughts of Stefano and myself on influenza virus RNA trafficking published in PLOS Pathogens a few days ago. A topic we are both greatly interested in. dx.plos.org/10.1371/jour...
We have a new preprint, led by @pharrissnell.bsky.social & (former) postdoc Parisa Naeli. We report a chordate-specific mechanism, mediated by 2 prologue RBPs ZC3H7A/B, that links codon usage to mRNA translation/stability.
Huge thanks to our amazing collaborators!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Huge thanks to our amazing collaborators!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Codon-dependent regulation of mRNA translation and stability by ZC3H7A and ZC3H7B RNA-binding proteins
Decelerated translation elongation caused by non-optimal codons can reduce mRNA stability through codon optimality-mediated mRNA degradation. A key element of this process is the coupling of sensing t...
www.biorxiv.org
April 24, 2025 at 11:29 AM
We have a new preprint, led by @pharrissnell.bsky.social & (former) postdoc Parisa Naeli. We report a chordate-specific mechanism, mediated by 2 prologue RBPs ZC3H7A/B, that links codon usage to mRNA translation/stability.
Huge thanks to our amazing collaborators!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Huge thanks to our amazing collaborators!
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...