Abstract
Eukaryotic organisms have a posttranscriptional/translational regulation system for the control of translational efficiency. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) have been known to control target genes. One type of protein, Pumilio (Pum)/Puf family RNA binding proteins, show a specific binding of 3′ untranslational region (3′ UTR) of target mRNA and function as a post-transcriptional/translational regulator in eukaryotic cells. Plant Pum protein is involved in development and biotic/abiotic stresses. Interestingly, Arabidopsis Pum can control target genes in a sequence-specific manner and rRNA processing in a sequence-nonspecific manner. As shown in in silico Pum gene expression analysis, Arabidopsis and rice Pum genes are responsive to biotic/abiotic stresses. Plant Pum can commonly contribute to host gene regulation at the post-transcriptional/translational step, as can mammalian Pum. However, the function of plant Pum proteins is not yet fully known. In this review, we briefly summarize the function of plant Pum in defense, development, and environmental responses via recent research and bioinformatics data.
Highlights
Eukaryotic organisms have a posttranscriptional/translational regulation system for the control of translational efficiency
When affinity-tagged-Pum is expressed in the ovaries of D. melanogastor, putative Pum-associated mRNAs were recovered in over 1000 genes which are believed to contain Pumilio RNA-binding motifs at the 30 untranslational region (30 untranslated regions (UTRs)) [19]
It is important to understand translational regulations via Pum proteins because of their specific capacity to bind to cis-elements in the 30 UTR of target mRNA
Summary
Sequence-specific RNA binding proteins (RBPs) could play important roles in transcriptional/translational regulation via direct binding to specific cis-acting elements of target mRNA, usually located in 30 -untranslated regions (UTRs) [1,2,3]. When affinity-tagged-Pum is expressed in the ovaries of D. melanogastor, putative Pum-associated mRNAs were recovered in over 1000 genes which are believed to contain Pumilio RNA-binding motifs at the 30 UTRs [19]. It is important to understand translational regulations via Pum proteins because of their specific capacity to bind to cis-elements in the 30 UTR of target mRNA. Plant Pums showed that the Arabidopsis, rice, soybean, apple, and corn genomes contained the largest number of putative Pum homolog proteins, about 20 homologous members, via analysis with Plaza 2.5, which is a comparative genomics analysis tool (Figure 1A) [20]. Ostreococcus tauri, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Volvox carteri have small numbers of putative Pum genes in their genomes (Figure 1A).
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