Zebrafish melanophilin facilitates melanosome dispersion by regulating dynein.

Background: Fish melanocytes aggregate or disperse their melanosomes in response to the level of intracellular cAMP. The role of cAMP is to regulate both melanosome travel along microtubules and their transfer between microtubules and actin. The factors that are downstream of cAMP and that directly modulate the motors responsible for melanosome transport are not known.

A repeated IMP-binding motif controls oskar mRNA translation and anchoring independently of Drosophila melanogaster IMP.

Zip code-binding protein 1 (ZBP-1) and its Xenopus laevis homologue, Vg1 RNA and endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein (VERA)/Vg1 RNA-binding protein (RBP), bind repeated motifs in the 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of localized mRNAs. Although these motifs are required for RNA localization, the necessity of ZBP-1/VERA remains unresolved. We address the role of ZBP-1/VERA through analysis of the Drosophila melanogaster homologue insulin growth factor II mRNA-binding protein (IMP).

Trafficking of signaling modules by kinesin motors.

The human genome has more than 40 kinesin genes whose protein products organize intracellular traffic along microtubules. Research during the past two years has begun to elucidate the cargoes carried by kinesins and the nature of the kinesin-cargo linkage. Modular protein-protein interactions connect kinesins to diverse cellular molecules, which, apart from their other functions, serve as kinesin-cargo linkers.

UUCAC- and vera-dependent localization of VegT RNA in Xenopus oocytes.

Localized mRNAs are directed to their destinations by "localization elements" (LEs) in their 3'UTRs. LEs harbor multiple, functionally redundant localization "signals." These signals are poorly defined, hence it is unclear whether the signals-and their cognate factors-are unique to each RNA or employed generally.