title: CPEB: a life in translation.
abstract: Nearly two decades ago, Xenopus oocytes were found to contain mRNAs harboring a small sequence in their 3' untranslated regions that control cytoplasmic polyadenylation and translational activation during development. This cytoplasmic polyadenylation element (CPE) is the binding platform for CPE-binding protein (CPEB), which promotes polyadenylation-induced translation. Since then, the biochemistry and biology of CPEB has grown rather substantially: mechanistically, CPEB nucleates a complex of factors that regulates poly(A) elongation through, of all things, a deadenylating enzyme; biologically, CPEB mediates many processes including germ-cell development, cell division and cellular senescence, and synaptic plasticity and learning and memory. These observations underscore the growing complexities of CPEB involvement in cell function.
authors.affiliation: Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA. joel.richter@umassmed.edu
authors.forename: Joel D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D013569:Synapses / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D014982:Xenopus laevis; D039221:mRNA Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factors / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C490388:Cpeb1 protein, Xenopus; C477603:Cpeb3 protein, mouse; C477604:Cpeb4 protein, mouse; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D039221:mRNA Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factors