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Yeast As a Chassis for Developing Functional Assays to Study Human P53
14:57

Yeast As a Chassis for Developing Functional Assays to Study Human P53

Published on: August 4, 2019

Two yeast PUF proteins negatively regulate a single mRNA

Brad A Hook1, Aaron C Goldstrohm, Daniel J Seay

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA.

The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|March 29, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Two PUF proteins, Puf4p and Mpt5p, regulate mRNA stability and translation in yeast by binding adjacent sites on the HO endonuclease mRNA. Their combined action is crucial for full repression and mRNA decay.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Gene Regulation
  • Post-transcriptional Control

Background:

  • Protein repressors binding to 3'-untranslated regions (3'-UTRs) control mRNA stability and translation.
  • PUF proteins are key repressors, inhibiting translation, enhancing mRNA decay, and promoting poly(A) removal.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the regulation of a single mRNA, Saccharomyces cerevisiae HO endonuclease mRNA, by two distinct PUF proteins.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms and combinatorial action of Puf4p and Mpt5p in mRNA regulation.

Main Methods:

  • In vivo analysis of mRNA stability and deadenylation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
  • Investigating the binding and co-occupancy of Puf4p and Mpt5p on the target mRNA.
  • Assessing the repression mechanisms dependent on deadenylation.

Main Results:

  • Puf4p and Mpt5p bind to adjacent sites on the HO endonuclease mRNA and can co-occupy it.
  • Both proteins are essential for complete repression and deadenylation; their absence stabilizes the mRNA.
  • Puf4p repression is deadenylation-dependent, while Mpt5p utilizes additional repression mechanisms.

Conclusions:

  • Combinatorial action of Puf4p and Mpt5p provides robust mRNA regulation in yeast.
  • Overlapping yet distinct mechanisms of these PUF proteins allow for nuanced gene expression control.
  • This dual-protein regulatory strategy may be a common mechanism in 3'-UTR-mediated gene control.

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