Eliezer Calo

Eliezer Calo

Associate Professor of Biology

Eliezer Calo studies how cells build ribosomes and how dysfunction in ribosome biogenesis and function leads to tissue-specific developmental disorders and cancer.

617-324-5330

Phone

68-270

Office

calo@mit.edu

Email

Building 68 - Koch Biology Building

Location

Lab Website
Cindy Woolley

Assistant

617-253-6060

Assistant Phone

Education

  • PhD, 2011, MIT
  • BS, 2006, Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras

Research Summary

We focus on the molecular entities controlling and coordinating RNA metabolism — that is, the compendium of processes that involve RNA, including protein synthesis, processing, modifications, export, translation and degradation. Our goal is to understand how different aspects of RNA metabolism are controlled to generate structure and function during development, as well as how mutations in components of the RNA metabolic program lead to congenital disorders and cancer.

Key Publications

  1. DNA-PKcs has KU-dependent function in rRNA processing and haematopoiesis. Shao, Z, Flynn, RA, Crowe, JL, Zhu, Y, Liang, J, Jiang, W, Aryan, F, Aoude, P, Bertozzi, CR, Estes, VM et al.. 2020. Nature 579, 291-296.
    doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2041-2PMID:32103174
  2. 7SK-BAF axis controls pervasive transcription at enhancers. Flynn, RA, Do, BT, Rubin, AJ, Calo, E, Lee, B, Kuchelmeister, H, Rale, M, Chu, C, Kool, ET, Wysocka, J et al.. 2016. Nat Struct Mol Biol 23, 231-8.
    doi: 10.1038/nsmb.3176PMID:26878240
  3. RNA helicase DDX21 coordinates transcription and ribosomal RNA processing. Calo, E, Flynn, RA, Martin, L, Spitale, RC, Chang, HY, Wysocka, J. 2015. Nature 518, 249-53.
    doi: 10.1038/nature13923PMID:25470060
  4. Modification of enhancer chromatin: what, how, and why? Calo, E, Wysocka, J. 2013. Mol Cell 49, 825-37.
    doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2013.01.038PMID:23473601
  5. Rb regulates fate choice and lineage commitment in vivo. Calo, E, Quintero-Estades, JA, Danielian, PS, Nedelcu, S, Berman, SD, Lees, JA. 2010. Nature 466, 1110-4.
    doi: 10.1038/nature09264PMID:20686481

Recent Publications

  1. A non-syndromic orofacial cleft risk locus links tRNA splicing defects to neural crest cell pathologies. Bartusel, M, Kim, SX, Rehimi, R, Darnell, AM, Nikolić, M, Heggemann, J, Kolovos, P, van Ijcken, WFJ, Varineau, J, Crispatzu, G et al.. 2025. Am J Hum Genet 112, 1097-1116.
    doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2025.03.017PMID:40250422
  2. A pH-Centric Model of Nucleolar Activity and Regulation. Detrés, D, Camacho-Badillo, A, Calo, E. 2025. J Mol Biol 437, 169136.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2025.169136PMID:40216015
  3. Targeted degradation of CDK9 potently disrupts the MYC-regulated network. Toure, MA, Motoyama, K, Xiang, Y, Urgiles, J, Kabinger, F, Koglin, AS, Iyer, RS, Gagnon, K, Kumar, A, Ojeda, S et al.. 2025. Cell Chem Biol 32, 542-555.e10.
    doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2025.03.001PMID:40154489
  4. RNA-binding proteins and glycoRNAs form domains on the cell surface for cell-penetrating peptide entry. Perr, J, Langen, A, Almahayni, K, Nestola, G, Chai, P, Lebedenko, CG, Volk, RF, Detrés, D, Caldwell, RM, Spiekermann, M et al.. 2025. Cell 188, 1878-1895.e25.
    doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.01.040PMID:40020667
  5. Reduced EIF6 dosage attenuates TP53 activation in models of Shwachman-Diamond syndrome. Oyarbide, U, Bezzerri, V, Staton, M, Boni, C, Shah, A, Cipolli, M, Calo, E, Corey, SJ. 2025. J Clin Invest 135, .
    doi: 10.1172/JCI187778PMID:39964763
  6. A dual ribosomal system in the zebrafish soma and germline. Shah, AN, Leesch, F, Lorenzo-Orts, L, Grundmann, L, Novatchkova, M, Haselbach, D, Calo, E, Pauli, A. 2024. bioRxiv , .
    doi: 10.1101/2024.08.29.610041PMID:39257781
  7. Targeted Degradation of CDK9 Potently Disrupts the MYC Transcriptional Network. Toure, MA, Motoyama, K, Xiang, Y, Urgiles, J, Kabinger, F, Koglin, AS, Iyer, RS, Gagnon, K, Kumar, A, Ojeda, S et al.. 2024. bioRxiv , .
    doi: 10.1101/2024.05.14.593352PMID:38952800
  8. A common cellular response to broad splicing perturbations is characterized by metabolic transcript downregulation driven by the Mdm2-p53 axis. Varineau, JE, Calo, E. 2024. Dis Model Mech 17, .
    doi: 10.1242/dmm.050356PMID:38426258
  9. Nucleolus activity-dependent recruitment and biomolecular condensation by pH sensing. Aryan, F, Detrés, D, Luo, CC, Kim, SX, Shah, AN, Bartusel, M, Flynn, RA, Calo, E. 2023. Mol Cell 83, 4413-4423.e10.
    doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.10.031PMID:37979585
  10. SBDSR126T rescues survival of sbds -/- zebrafish in a dose-dependent manner independently of Tp53. Oyarbide, U, Shah, AN, Staton, M, Snyderman, M, Sapra, A, Calo, E, Corey, SJ. 2023. Life Sci Alliance 6, .
    doi: 10.26508/lsa.202201856PMID:37816584
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