Structure and function of nematode RNA-binding proteins.
RNA-binding proteins are critical effectors of gene expression. They guide mRNA localization, translation, and stability, and potentially play a role in regulating mRNA synthesis. The structural basis for RNA recognition by RNA-binding proteins is the key to understand how they target specific transcripts for regulation. Compared to other metazoans, nematode genomes contain a significant expansion in several RNA-binding protein families, including Pumilio-FBF (PUF), TTP-like zinc finger (TZF), and Argonaute-like (AGO) proteins. Genetic data suggest that individual members of each family have distinct functions, presumably due to sequence variations that alter RNA-binding specificity or protein interaction partners. In this review, we highlight example structures and identify the variable regions that likely contribute to functional divergence in nematodes.
Kaymak
Ebru
E
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA.
Wee
L M
LM
Ryder
Sean P
SP
D000818:Animals; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009348:Nematoda; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013379:Substrate Specificity
D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins