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Updated: Jul 11, 2025

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Assessment of Selective mRNA Translation in Mammalian Cells by Polysome Profiling
Published on: October 28, 2014
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Cell type-specific translational regulation by human DUS enzymes.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|November 15, 2023
Summary
Dihydrouridine (D) is a common tRNA modification, but its function in mammals is unclear. This study developed chemical probes to map D sites and found that losing D affects translation in a cell-specific way, impacting specific tRNAs.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
- Genetics
Background:
- Dihydrouridine (D) is a conserved tRNA modification, yet its mammalian functional roles and the enzymes responsible (DUS writers) remain poorly understood.
- Mammalian tRNA modification studies are limited, hindering a full understanding of gene expression regulation.
Conclusions:
- Developed novel chemical tools for studying dihydrouridine and DUS enzymes in biological systems.
- Revealed that while D is widespread on tRNAs, its absence selectively affects the translational role of certain tRNAs, highlighting context-dependent regulation.
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