Research Interests

We are a breast cancer research lab specializing in discovering and characterizing mRNA isoforms that arise from alternative processing. We develop and utilize high-throughput omics approaches to define and characterize novel mRNA isoforms generally overlooked in conventional gene expression analyses. These isoforms can potentially impact protein function with promising potential in diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

From: "RNA-biology ruling cancer progression? Focus on 3′UTRs and splicing" Erson-Bensan AE.  Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2020 Sep;39(3):887-901. doi: 10.1007/s10555-020-09884-9.

PMID: 32361913.

Intronically polyadenylated isoforms can produce C-term truncated proteins:

• A C-term truncated EIF2Bγ protein encoded by an intronically polyadenylated isoform introduces unfavorable EIF2Bγ-EIF2γ interactions. Circir A, Koksal Bicakci G, Savas B, Doken DN, Henden ŞO, Can T, Karaca E, Erson-Bensan AE. Proteins. 2022 Mar;90(3):889-897. doi: 10.1002/prot.26284.  PMID: 34796993.
  
• Versatile RNA: overlooked gems of the transcriptome. Erdem M, Cicek M, Erson-Bensan AE. FEBS J. 2023 Jan 31. doi: 10.1111/febs.16742. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36719259.