Eliezer Calo

Eliezer Calo

Assistant 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

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. Calmodulin inhibitors improve erythropoiesis in Diamond-Blackfan anemia. Taylor, AM, Macari, ER, Chan, IT, Blair, MC, Doulatov, S, Vo, LT, Raiser, DM, Siva, K, Basak, A, Pirouz, M et al.. 2020. Sci Transl Med 12, .
    doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abb5831PMID:33087503
  2. Loss of Sbds in zebrafish leads to neutropenia and pancreas and liver atrophy. Oyarbide, U, Shah, AN, Amaya-Mejia, W, Snyderman, M, Kell, MJ, Allende, DS, Calo, E, Topczewski, J, Corey, SJ. 2020. JCI Insight 5, .
    doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.134309PMID:32759502
  3. RNA helicase DDX21 mediates nucleotide stress responses in neural crest and melanoma cells. Santoriello, C, Sporrij, A, Yang, S, Flynn, RA, Henriques, T, Dorjsuren, B, Custo Greig, E, McCall, W, Stanhope, ME, Fazio, M et al.. 2020. Nat Cell Biol 22, 372-379.
    doi: 10.1038/s41556-020-0493-0PMID:32231306
  4. 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
  5. Tissue-selective effects of nucleolar stress and rDNA damage in developmental disorders. Calo, E, Gu, B, Bowen, ME, Aryan, F, Zalc, A, Liang, J, Flynn, RA, Swigut, T, Chang, HY, Attardi, LD et al.. 2018. Nature 554, 112-117.
    doi: 10.1038/nature25449PMID:29364875
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. Reorganization of enhancer patterns in transition from naive to primed pluripotency. Buecker, C, Srinivasan, R, Wu, Z, Calo, E, Acampora, D, Faial, T, Simeone, A, Tan, M, Swigut, T, Wysocka, J et al.. 2014. Cell Stem Cell 14, 838-53.
    doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2014.04.003PMID:24905168
  9. The retinoblastoma protein induces apoptosis directly at the mitochondria. Hilgendorf, KI, Leshchiner, ES, Nedelcu, S, Maynard, MA, Calo, E, Ianari, A, Walensky, LD, Lees, JA. 2013. Genes Dev 27, 1003-15.
    doi: 10.1101/gad.211326.112PMID:23618872
  10. 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
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