Control of mRNA stability and translation by G3BP RNA-binding proteins

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The growth and development of all multi-celled organismsincluding humansrequires that cells within the body adopt specialized functions. Cell specialization involves the presence of different proteins in different cell types (e.g. muscle proteins in muscle cells, liver proteins in liver cells, etc.). Cells produce individual proteins using specific signals known as mRNAs in a process called translation. We are studying two strategies that are employed to control which proteins are present in any particular cell. In one strategy, translation of specific proteins within a cell can be turned on or off. In the other strategy, the production of a protein can be blocked by destroying the corresponding mRNA via mRNA degradation. The decision to translate or degrade an mRNA is controlled by proteinscalled RNA-binding proteins (RBPs)that bind mRNAs. The work in this proposal is aimed at understanding how RBPs stabilize mRNAs and turn on their translation. These types of mechanisms function throughout the life span of all multi-celled organisms and play particularly prominent roles during the earliest stages of development. We are using a simple organismthe fruit flyto study how RBPs are controlled during the earliest stages of the organism's life. Since there are many similarities between how flies and humans grow and develop, our work is applicable to humans.