title: A zinc finger protein, TbZC3H20, stabilizes two developmentally regulated mRNAs in trypanosomes.
abstract: CCCH zinc finger proteins (ZC3Hs) are a novel class of RNA-binding protein involved in post-transcriptional mechanisms controlling gene expression. We show TbZC3H20 from Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of sleeping sickness and other diseases, stabilizes two developmentally regulated transcripts encoding a mitochondrial carrier protein (MCP12) and trans-sialidase (TS-like E). TbZC3H20 is shown to be an RNA-binding protein that is enriched in insect procyclic form T. brucei and is the first ZC3H discovered controlling gene expression through modulating mRNA abundance in trypanosomes. Previous studies have demonstrated that RNA recognition motif-containing and PUF family RNA-binding proteins can control gene expression by stabilizing specific target mRNA levels. This work is the first to describe a ZC3H stabilizing rather than destabilizing target mRNAs as a regulatory mechanism and the first report of a ZC3H regulating a gene encoding a mitochondrial protein. This suggests a broader role for ZC3Hs in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression than previously thought.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Alexandra S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Trotter
authors.forename: Edward F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Hendriks
mesh_terms: D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins