Abstract
RNA localization and regulation play an important role in the developing and adult nervous system. In navigating axons, extrinsic cues can elicit rapid local protein synthesis that mediates directional or morphological responses. The mRNA repertoire in axons is large and dynamically changing, yet studies suggest that only a subset of these mRNAs are translated after cue stimulation, suggesting the need for a high level of translational regulation. Here, we review the role of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) as local regulators of translation in developing axons. We focus on their role in growth, guidance, and synapse formation, and discuss the mechanisms by which they regulate translation in axons.
Highlights
Spatial localization of mRNA is a well conserved mechanism for restricting gene expression to a specific subcellular site in many cell types across animal and plant phyla (Condeelis and Singer, 2005; Holt and Bullock, 2009)
The response to several guidance cues require local protein synthesis in the tip of the growing axon, the growth cone (GC), (Campbell and Holt, 2001; Wu et al, 2005; Leung et al, 2006; Piper et al, 2006; Yao et al, 2006) and axonal mRNA translation is critical for axon survival (Hillefors et al, 2007; Cox et al, 2008; Yoon et al, 2012) and regeneration (Zheng et al, 2001; Verma et al, 2005)
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) comprise a large family of proteins that form ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes with their target mRNAs and can act as cytoskeletal adaptors and/or translational silencers to transport their cargo to subcellular locations (Besse and Ephrussi, 2008)
Summary
Reviewed by: Rossen Donev, Swansea University, UK Michael A. RNA localization and regulation play an important role in the developing and adult nervous system. Extrinsic cues can elicit rapid local protein synthesis that mediates directional or morphological responses. The mRNA repertoire in axons is large and dynamically changing, yet studies suggest that only a subset of these mRNAs are translated after cue stimulation, suggesting the need for a high level of translational regulation. We review the role of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) as local regulators of translation in developing axons. We focus on their role in growth, guidance, and synapse formation, and discuss the mechanisms by which they regulate translation in axons
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