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Published on: June 5, 2018
Mechanisms of translational control in early development
1Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205-2185, USA. geraldine_seydoux@qmail.bs.jhu.edu
Current Opinion in Genetics & Development
|October 1, 1996
Summary
Maternal messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in oocytes are translationally controlled via cytoplasmic polyadenylation, RNA localization, or repression. Identifying the trans-acting factors binding to the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) reveals mechanisms of translational control.
Area of Science:
- Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Oocytes store maternal messenger RNAs (mRNAs) essential for early development.
- These transcripts remain dormant until activated during oogenesis or embryogenesis.
- Translational control mechanisms govern the timing and extent of mRNA activation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the mechanisms of translational control of maternal mRNAs.
- To identify trans-acting factors that bind to 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs) of maternal mRNAs.
- To understand how these factors regulate mRNA translation during development.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of mRNA sequences, focusing on 3' untranslated regions (3'UTRs).
- Identification and characterization of trans-acting factors through biochemical and genetic approaches.
- Investigating the role of cytoplasmic polyadenylation, RNA localization, and translational repression.
Main Results:
- Three primary modes of translational control have been identified: activation by cytoplasmic polyadenylation, activation by RNA localization, and regulated translational repression.
- Binding of specific trans-acting factors to 3'UTR sequences is crucial for translational regulation.
- The identification of these factors is beginning to reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Translational control of maternal mRNAs is a complex process mediated by specific trans-acting factors.
- These factors interact with 3'UTR sequences to regulate mRNA activation.
- Understanding these mechanisms is key to comprehending early embryonic development.
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01:10Transcription
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Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
Transcription Can Produce Different Kinds...
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02:24Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
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Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
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01:17Transcription
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01:23Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps
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