title: Translational control in germ cell development: A role for the RNA-binding proteins Musashi-1 and Musashi-2.
abstract: Mammalian gametogenesis is a complex process involving specialised cell cycle progression and differentiation. As part of their differentiation, germ cells experience periods of transcriptional inactivation and chromatin inaccessibility whilst continuing to coordinate the correct temporal and spatial expression of genes required for continued development. To overcome these obstacles, mammalian germ cells express a wide variety of sequence-specific RNA-binding proteins, which assist in the translational control of many mRNA transcripts which are produced and stored during periods of high mRNA synthesis. In this review we focus on the Musashi family of RNA-binding proteins, a highly conserved family of translational regulatory proteins whose recent identification in germ cells of Drosophila and Xenopus, as well as their well described role in processes such as cell cycle progression and stem cell identity, has led us to investigate the role of these proteins in mammalian germ cell development.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Science Group, School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Kara M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Gunter
authors.forename: Eileen A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: McLaughlin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C104786:Msi1h protein, mouse; C499059:Msi2h protein, mouse; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins