title: Musashi: a translational regulator of cell fate.
abstract: Transcription is thought to have a major role in the regulation of cell fate; the importance of translational regulation in this process has been less certain. Recent findings demonstrate that translational regulation contributes to cell-fate specification. The evolutionarily conserved, neural RNA-binding protein Musashi, for example, controls neural cell fate. The protein functions in maintenance of the stem-cell state, differentiation, and tumorigenesis by repressing translation of particular mRNAs. In mammals it might play an important role in activating Notch signalling by repressing translation of the Notch inhibitor m-Numb.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan. hidokano@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okano
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okabe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics; D002455:Cell Division; D004330:Drosophila / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009420:Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis