Regulation of slow troponin C gene expression

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Decoding of the genetic information involves the synthesis of messenger RNA(mRNA)from the DNA.This process takes place in the nucleus of mammalian cells.The mRNA after exiting the nucleus is translated in the cytoplasm to produce proteins,which are required for all cellular functions.Recent studies suggests that mRNAs are sorted to different cytoplasmic locations.This process is believed to be important for assymatric distribution of proteins in the cell. Assymatric distribution of proteins  is an  important aspect of proper embryonic development.Therefore, expression of a protein at the wrong place in the cell could be detrimental and may result in the altered body plan of the embryo.Trafficking of mRNAs to its proper cytoplasmic location is also important for the assembly of many multicomponent cellular structures,such as the muscle filaments.If the mRNAs encoding different proteins of the muscle filament are co-localized at a distinct cytoplasmic site,expression of all protein components at the same site, would be more efficient for their assembly into the muscle structure,than relying on the simple diffusion process.How mRNAs are sorted to different locations in the cytoplasm is still not clear.We are currently investgating whether mRNAs contain their own zipcode.Our studies on an mRNA that encodes one of the muscle proteins,the troponin C, showed that it has a zipcode for loclizing it at the perinuclear site.We are further characterizing how this zip code anchors the mRNA at its site. We propose that it binds to a specific zipcode binding protein at the perinuclear cytoplasmic tract.Therefore we plan to identify the troponin C mRNA's zipcode binding protein and determine how it functions in muscle cells. Our work is expected to produce new knowledge to improve our understanding of the important cellular process of mRNA trafficking.