Abstract
Author SummaryIn eukaryotes, the majority of cells are asymmetric and a way to establish such polarity is directional transport of macromolecules along cytoskeletal filaments. Among the cargoes transported, mRNAs play an essential role, as their localized translation contributes significantly to the generation of asymmetry. To date, hundreds of asymmetrically localized mRNAs in various organisms have been identified. These mRNAs are recognized by RNA-binding proteins and incorporated into large motor-containing messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs) whose molecular assembly is poorly understood. In this study, we used the well-characterized process of ASH1-mRNA transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to address the question of how localizing mRNAs are recognized and specifically incorporated into mRNPs. Surprisingly, we found that the previously implicated mRNA-binding proteins She2p and Puf6p do not bind to cargo mRNAs with high specificity. Instead, the cytoplasmic motor-adapter protein She3p is responsible for synergistic cargo binding with She2p and for the stable incorporation of specific localizing mRNA into the transport complex. We propose that the specific recognition of localizing mRNAs happens at the very last step of cytoplasmic mRNP maturation. Other organisms might employ similar mechanisms to establish cellular polarity.
Highlights
In eukaryotes, directional transport and localization of mRNA is widely used to regulate gene expression on a temporal and spatial level. mRNA localization is involved in diverse processes such as inducing cellular asymmetry, guiding key events during embryonic development, and supporting synaptic plasticity [1,2,3,4]
Hundreds of asymmetrically localized mRNAs in various organisms have been identified. These mRNAs are recognized by RNA-binding proteins and incorporated into large motor-containing messenger ribonucleoprotein particles whose molecular assembly is poorly understood
We used the well-characterized process of ASH1-mRNA transport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to address the question of how localizing mRNAs are recognized and incorporated into messenger ribonucleoprotein particle (mRNP)
Summary
Directional transport and localization of mRNA is widely used to regulate gene expression on a temporal and spatial level. mRNA localization is involved in diverse processes such as inducing cellular asymmetry, guiding key events during embryonic development, and supporting synaptic plasticity [1,2,3,4]. MRNA localization is involved in diverse processes such as inducing cellular asymmetry, guiding key events during embryonic development, and supporting synaptic plasticity [1,2,3,4] For these processes, motor-containing mRNPs usually translocate translationally silent transcripts from perinuclear areas to their subcellular destination. Available studies only revealed a 3–7-fold higher affinity for localizing mRNAs when compared to non-localizing RNAs [6,7]. Because such rather small differences are unlikely to explain the highly selective transport of RNAs observed in vivo, it PLoS Biology | www.plosbiology.org mRNA Localization in Yeast
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