SINEUP long non-coding RNA acts via PTBP1 and HNRNPK to promote translational initiation assemblies

SINEUPs are long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that contain a SINE element, and which up-regulate the translation of target mRNA. They have been studied in a wide range of applications, as both biological and therapeutic tools, although the underpinning molecular mechanism is unclear. Here, we focused on the sub-cellular distribution of target mRNAs and SINEUP RNAs, performing co-transfection of expression vectors for these transcripts into human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293T/17), to investigate the network of translational regulation. The results showed that co-localization of target mRNAs and SINEUP RNAs in the cytoplasm was a key phenomenon. We identified PTBP1 and HNRNPK as essential RNA binding proteins. These proteins contributed to SINEUP RNA sub-cellular distribution and to assembly of translational initiation complexes, leading to enhanced target mRNA translation. These findings will promote a better understanding of the mechanisms employed by regulatory RNAs implicated in efficient protein translation.