'RNA localization pathways direct numerous mRNAs to distinct subcellular regions and affect many physiological processes. In one such pathway the tumor-suppressor protein adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) targets RNAs to cell protrusions, forming APC-containing ribonucleoprotein complexes (APC-RNPs). Here, we show that APC-RNPs associate with the RNA-binding protein Fus/TLS (fused in sarcoma/translocated ... More
Repression of global protein synthesis by Eif1a-like genes that are expressed specifically in the two-cell embryos and the transient Zscan4-positive state of embryonic stem cells.
AuthorsHung SS, Wong RC, Sharov AA, Nakatake Y, Yu H, Ko MS,
JournalDNA Res
PubMed ID23649898
'Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells are prototypical stem cells that remain undifferentiated in culture for long periods, yet maintain the ability to differentiate into essentially all cell types. Previously, we have reported that ES cells oscillate between two distinct states, which can be distinguished by the transient expression of Zscan4 ... More
Neurotrophin-mediated dendrite-to-nucleus signaling revealed by microfluidic compartmentalization of dendrites.
AuthorsCohen MS, Bas Orth C, Kim HJ, Jeon NL, Jaffrey SR,
JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PubMed ID21690335
'Signaling from dendritic synapses to the nucleus regulates important aspects of neuronal function, including synaptic plasticity. The neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) can induce long-lasting strengthening of synapses in vivo and this effect is dependent on transcription. However, the mechanism of signaling to the nucleus is not well understood. Here ... More
Smaug1 mRNA-silencing foci respond to NMDA and modulate synapse formation.
AuthorsBaez MV, Luchelli L, Maschi D, Habif M, Pascual M, Thomas MG, Boccaccio GL,
JournalJ Cell Biol
PubMed ID22201125
'Mammalian Smaug1/Samd4A is a translational repressor. Here we show that Smaug1 forms mRNA-silencing foci located at postsynapses of hippocampal neurons. These structures, which we have named S-foci, are distinct from P-bodies, stress granules, or other neuronal RNA granules hitherto described, and are the first described mRNA-silencing foci specific to neurons. ... More
Click-mediated labeling of bacterial membranes through metabolic modification of the lipopolysaccharide inner core.
AuthorsDumont A, Malleron A, Awwad M, Dukan S, Vauzeilles B,
JournalAngew Chem Int Ed Engl
PubMed ID22323101
Metabolic glycan labeling has recently emerged as a very powerful method for studying cell-surface glycans, which has applications that range from imaging glycans in living multicellular organisms, such as zebrafish or mice, to the identication of metastasis-associaed cell-surface sialoglycoproteins. ... More
Mutant methionyl-tRNA synthetase from bacteria enables site-selective N-terminal labeling of proteins expressed in mammalian cells.
AuthorsNgo JT, Schuman EM, Tirrell DA,
JournalProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
PubMed ID23479642
Newly synthesized cellular proteins can be tagged with a variety of metabolic labels that distinguish them from preexisting proteins and allow them to be identified and tracked. Many such labels are incorporated into proteins via the endogenous cellular machinery and can be used in numerous cell types and organisms. Though ... More
Site-specific terminal and internal labeling of RNA by poly(A) polymerase tailing and copper-catalyzed or copper-free strain-promoted click chemistry.
AuthorsWinz ML, Samanta A, Benzinger D, Jäschke A,
JournalNucleic Acids Res
PubMed ID22344697
The modification of RNA with fluorophores, affinity tags and reactive moieties is of enormous utility for studying RNA localization, structure and dynamics as well as diverse biological phenomena involving RNA as an interacting partner. Here we report a labeling approach in which the RNA of interest--of either synthetic or biological ... More