title: The RNA binding protein FMRP: new connections and missing links.
abstract: The loss of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) is responsible for the most common cause of inherited mental retardation called the fragile X syndrome. FMRP is suspected to participate in the synaptic plasticity of neurons by acting on posttranscriptional control of gene expression. FMRP is an RNA binding protein that associates with mRNAs together with other proteins to form large ribonucleoprotein complexes. These complexes are proposed to participate in the transport, localization and translation of target mRNAs. Progress has been made recently in the identification of the mRNAs and the proteins present in these complexes and a possible connection with the micro-RNA dependent regulatory pathway has been established.
authors.affiliation: UPR 9002, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, 15, rue René-Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg cedex, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schaeffer
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beaulande
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ehresmann
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ehresmann
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moine
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D051860:Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1; D005600:Fragile X Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D051860:Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D035683:MicroRNAs; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; C497683:FMR1 protein, human