title: Determinants of ELAV gene-specific regulation.
abstract: How RNA-binding proteins recognize their complement of targets in a complex cellular environment remains poorly understood. Sequence degeneracy and redundancy of short motifs at genomic scales have mostly eluded predictions of specific target genes for gene-specific ELAV (embryonic lethal abnormal visual system)/Hu proteins that bind ubiquitous AU-rich motifs. Using the genetic tools of Drosophila, we have analysed binding properties of ELAV in vitro and ELAV-dependent regulation of its major target ewg (erect wing) in neurons. These studies reveal that an integral part of ELAV gene-specific regulation involves combinatorial binding to variably spaced short U-rich motifs on an extensive binding site.
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. m.soller@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soller
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Irmgard U
authors.initials: IU
authors.lastname: Haussmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051959:ELAV Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008954:Models, Biological; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051959:ELAV Proteins; C498009:ELAV protein, Drosophila; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins