The Cha Lab is working to understand the mechanism of asymmetric localization of bicoid mRNA during anterior-posterior axis specification in Drosophila oocytes.  Localization of bicoid mRNAs is a dynamic cytoskeleton-mediated process that requires interactions between bicoid RNA, the localization machinery, and cytoskeleton.  Our studies have revealed that bicoid RNA is transported in a large complex, which contains proteins that mediate RNP particle assembly, recruitment of motors, attachment to the microtubules, and stable anchoring to the localization site.  Using live imaging, biochemical, and genetic approaches, we identified several factors that are involved in this dynamic process of RNA localization.  Our current researches focus on characterization of the role of Bicaudal-D in recruitment and control of microtubule motors during bicoid RNA localization.

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