Dissecting the Functions of the Secretory Pathway by Transcriptional Profiling

The secretory pathway is responsible for biosynthesis, processing, sorting, and delivery of variety of proteins encoded in the human genome to their proper cellular location through a series of controlled events. Each step along the secretory pathway is controlled by regulatory modules that maintain the homeostasis of the system. Impairment in the functioning of the secretory pathway forms the basis of several pathologies. Nevertheless, the modules that interact with the secretory pathway and the underlying molecular circuits remain under explored, especially in the mammalian system. In order to identify and characterize these circuits we are implementing an approach based on the deconvolution of the transcriptional profiles resulting from the perturbation of the secretory pathway. Such analysis will help to detect the cellular modules that interact with secretory pathway and thus provide insights into the regulatory pathways coordinating their activities. Preliminary observations from these analyses indicate an interaction between the secretory pathway and the DNA replication/repair module, an interaction that can have potential implications for cancer.