Investigating the role of the atypical kinase/ATPase RIOK-1 in C. elegans

Ribosomes are complex molecular machines that synthesise the cell's proteins. Assembling ribosomes is complex and requires input from over 200 different proteins. Many of these proteins also have additional roles within the cell, however, these additional roles are not well understood. This thesis used a microscopic worm organism, C. elegans, to examine the function of a ribosome assembly protein called RIOK-1. Important roles for RIOK-1 in regulating development, metabolism and immunity were identified. Mutations in RIOK-1 commonly associated with various cancers, and therefore these results may help us better understand the role of RIOK-1 in human health and disease.