title: Mapping translation 'hot-spots' in live cells by tracking single molecules of mRNA and ribosomes.
abstract: Messenger RNA localization is important for cell motility by local protein translation. However, while single mRNAs can be imaged and their movements tracked in single cells, it has not yet been possible to determine whether these mRNAs are actively translating. Therefore, we imaged single β-actin mRNAs tagged with MS2 stem loops colocalizing with labeled ribosomes to determine when polysomes formed. A dataset of tracking information consisting of thousands of trajectories per cell demonstrated that mRNAs co-moving with ribosomes have significantly different diffusion properties from non-translating mRNAs that were exposed to translation inhibitors. These data indicate that ribosome load changes mRNA movement and therefore highly translating mRNAs move slower. Importantly, β-actin mRNA near focal adhesions exhibited sub-diffusive corralled movement characteristic of increased translation. This method can identify where ribosomes become engaged for local protein production and how spatial regulation of mRNA-protein interactions mediates cell directionality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, United States.|Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, United States.
authors.forename: Zachary B
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, United States.|Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States.
authors.forename: Brian P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: English
authors.affiliation: Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States.
authors.forename: Timothée
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lionnet
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Young J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.
authors.forename: Nilah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Monnier
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, United States.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ovryn
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bathe
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, United States.|Janelia Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Ashburn, United States.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Singer
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D012270:Ribosomes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: biophysics; cell biology; cell motility; focal adhesion; mRNA localization; mouse; single molecule tracking; structural biology; translation