The mammalian RNA-binding protein Staufen2 links nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA processing pathways in neurons.
Members of the Staufen family of RNA-binding proteins are highly conserved cytoplasmic RNA transporters associated with RNA granules. staufen2 is specifically expressed in neurons where the delivery of RNA to dendrites is thought to have a role in plasticity. We found that Staufen2 interacts with the nuclear pore protein p62, with the RNA export protein Tap and with the exon-exon junction complex (EJC) proteins Y14-Mago. The interaction of Staufen2 with the Y14-Mago heterodimer seems to represent a highly conserved complex as the same proteins are involved in the Staufen-mediated localization of oskar mRNA in Drosophila oocytes. A pool of Staufen2 is present in neuronal nuclei and colocalizes to a large degree with p62 and partly with Tap, Y14, and Mago. We suggest a model whereby a set of conserved genes in the oskar mRNA export pathway may be recruited to direct a dendritic destination for mRNAs originating as a Staufen2 nuclear complex.
Monshausen
Michaela
M
Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Gehring
Niels H
NH
Kosik
Kenneth S
KS
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D015723:Gene Library; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010957:Plasmids; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014162:Transfection
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C492188:Stau2 protein, rat