Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
12:24
PAR-CliP - A Method to Identify Transcriptome-wide the Binding Sites of RNA Binding Proteins
Published on: July 2, 2010
54.2K
A General Framework for Interrogation of mRNA Stability Programs Identifies RNA-Binding Proteins that Govern Cancer
Gabrielle Perron1, Pouria Jandaghi1, Shraddha Solanki2
1Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada; McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Centre, Montreal, QC H3A 0G1, Canada.
Cell Reports
|May 10, 2018
Summary
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are key regulators of mRNA stability, often deregulated in cancer. This study identifies specific RBPs driving the abnormal transcriptome in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), highlighting their role in cancer progression.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Genomics
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- Transcriptome remodeling is a hallmark of cancer.
- The role of post-transcriptional regulators, specifically RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), in cancer-associated pathways is not well understood.
- RBPs influence mRNA stability, impacting gene expression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of RBPs in regulating mRNA stability and their contribution to cancer.
- To identify specific RBPs deregulated in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
- To establish a computational framework for screening RBP activities in cancer.
Main Methods:
- Computational modeling of global gene expression changes based on RBP effects on mRNA stability.
- Analysis of sequence-specific RBP activity in cancerous tissues.
- Functional validation of identified RBPs in cancer cell lines.
Main Results:
- RBP-mediated mRNA stability programs are recurrently deregulated in cancerous tissues.
- Specific RBPs, including PCBP2, ESRP2, and MBNL2, were identified as key contributors to the abnormal RCC transcriptome.
- Modulation of these RBPs altered cancer-central pathways in cell lines.
Conclusions:
- RBPs act as master regulators of the RCC transcriptome.
- Post-transcriptional gene dysregulation plays a significant role in RCC.
- The study provides a framework for identifying RBP-driven cancer transcriptomes.
Related Concept Videos
01:53RNA Stability
35.8K
Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
35.8K
02:51mRNA Stability and Gene Expression
6.7K
The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability
6.7K
02:51mRNA Stability and Gene Expression
3.5K
3.5K
02:31Nuclear Export of mRNA
8.8K
Before mRNAs are exported to the cytoplasm, it is crucial to check each mRNA for structural and functional integrity. Eukaryotic cells use several different mechanisms, collectively known as mRNA surveillance, to look for irregularities in mRNAs. Irregular or aberrant mRNA are rapidly degraded by various enzymes. If a defective mRNA escapes the surveillance, it would be translated into a protein which would either be non-functional or not function properly. One of the primary irregularities in...
8.8K
02:01pre-mRNA Processing
57.6K
In eukaryotic cells, transcripts made by RNA polymerase are modified and processed before exiting the nucleus. Unprocessed RNA is called precursor mRNA or pre-mRNA to distinguish it from mature mRNA.
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a “cap” to the 5’ end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5’ phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached to it (7-Methyl...
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a “cap” to the 5’ end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5’ phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached to it (7-Methyl...
57.6K
02:22Regulated mRNA Transport
7.0K
In eukaryotes, transcription and translation are compartmentalized; an mRNA is first synthesized in the nucleus and then selectively transported to the cytoplasm for protein synthesis. Before transport, a pre-mRNA undergoes several steps of post-transcriptional modifications including splicing, 5' capping, and the addition of a poly-adenine tail. Various proteins bind to the pre-mRNA during these modifications. The mRNA transport takes place with the help of multiple proteins playing...
7.0K