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Translational control by the 3'-UTR: the ends specify the means
Barsanjit Mazumder1, Vasudevan Seshadri, Paul L Fox
1Department of Cell Biology, The Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
Trends in Biochemical Sciences
|February 11, 2003
Summary
RNA-binding proteins interact with mRNA untranslated regions (UTRs) to form RNA loops, enhancing translation. This circularization allows for novel translational control mechanisms, especially via 3’-UTRs.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Translational control is crucial for gene expression, often mediated by RNA-binding proteins interacting with mRNA untranslated regions (UTRs).
- RNA circularization, formed by interactions between transcript termini, is hypothesized to enhance translational efficiency and enable new regulatory pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) in translational control.
- To explore mechanisms of translational inhibition involving 3'-UTR-binding proteins.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of RNA-binding protein interactions with 5'- and 3'-UTRs.
- Experimental studies on interferon-gamma-mediated translational silencing.
- Multi-species comparative analysis of UTR lengths.
Main Results:
- RNA circularization mediated by protein interactions between transcript termini increases translational efficiency.
- Evidence supports mechanisms where mRNA closure is required for translational inhibition, as seen in interferon-gamma-induced silencing.
- 3'-UTRs are significantly longer than 5'-UTRs in vertebrates, indicating substantial regulatory potential.
Conclusions:
- 3'-UTR-mediated translational control is a significant regulatory mechanism.
- The increasing length of 3'-UTRs throughout evolution suggests their growing importance in organismal complexity.