PhD PROJECT

Institut
de
Génétique
et
Développement
de
Rennes
UMR 6290
PhD PROJECT
Nuclear ubiquitylation networks
Ubiquitylation is a versatile posttranslational protein modification that regulates the
activity of thousands of cellular proteins and is thereby involved in the control of most - if not
all - cellular processes, including DNA transcription, cell cycle progression or apoptosis. This
pervasive role of ubiquitylation in cell biology is reflected in a broad range of diseases from
cancer to neurodegenerative disorders that have been linked to defects in the ubiquitylation
machinery. Unravelling the molecular details of its functions is therefore of highest interest.
The aim of this PhD project is to investigate at a network level the molecular
function of poorly-studied ubiquitylation enzymes that have essential roles in the nucleus.
We will especially seek to profile the range of substrates of the enzymes of interest and to
dissect how ubiquitylation regulates the activity of these substrates. This will be done using
a combination of biochemical, genetic and microscopy approaches that recently enabled us
to uncover a new quality control mechanism at the inner nuclear membrane (Khmelinskii et
al., 2014 Nature 516:410-1).
The project is funded by the University of Rennes 1 and will be performed under
the supervision of Gwenaël Rabut at the Institute of Genetics and Development of
Rennes in France (igdr.univ-rennes1.fr/english) in close collaboration with the laboratory of Michael Knop at the University of Heidelberg in Germany (www.knoplab.de).
Several exchanges will be organised between the two labs during the course of the PhD project.
Interested candidates should send their CV and a letter of motivation to Gwenaël Rabut and
provide the names and contact details of at least two references.
Gwenaël Rabut  gwenael.rabut@inserm.fr
http://cvscience.aviesan.fr/cv/567/gwenael-rabut
IGDR UMR 6290 CNRS UR1 - Faculté de Médecine,
2 avenue du Pr. Léon Bernard, CS 34 317
350 043 Rennes Cedex, France