Mammalian pumilio proteins control cellular morphology, migration, and adhesion.

Pumilio proteins are RNA-binding proteins that control mRNA translation and stability by binding to the 3' UTR of target mRNAs. Mammals have two canonical Pumilio proteins, PUM1 and PUM2, which are known to act in many biological processes, including embryonic development, neurogenesis, cell cycle regulation and genomic stability. Here, we characterized a new role of both PUM1 and PUM2 in regulating cell morphology, migration, and adhesion in T-REx-293 cells, in addition to previously known defects in growth rate.

Disease-linked TDP-43 hyperphosphorylation suppresses TDP-43 condensation and aggregation.

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) have emerged as key modulators of protein phase separation and have been linked to protein aggregation in neurodegenerative disorders. The major aggregating protein in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia, the RNA-binding protein TAR DNA-binding protein (TDP-43), is hyperphosphorylated in disease on several C-terminal serine residues, a process generally believed to promote TDP-43 aggregation. Here, we however find that Casein kinase 1δ-mediated TDP-43 hyperphosphorylation or C-terminal phosphomimetic mutations reduce TDP-43 phase separation and aggregation, and instead render TDP-43 condensates more liquid-like and dynamic.

Post-translational modifications on RNA-binding proteins: accelerators, brakes, or passengers in neurodegeneration?

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are critical players in RNA expression and metabolism, thus, the proper regulation of this class of proteins is critical for cellular health. Regulation of RBPs often occurs through post-translational modifications (PTMs), which allow the cell to quickly and efficiently respond to cellular and environmental stimuli. PTMs have recently emerged as important regulators of RBPs implicated in neurodegenerative disorders, in particular amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

The RNA-binding protein FUS is chaperoned and imported into the nucleus by a network of import receptors.

Fused in sarcoma (FUS) is a predominantly nuclear RNA-binding protein with key functions in RNA processing and DNA damage repair. Defects in nuclear import of FUS have been linked to severe neurodegenerative diseases; hence, it is of great interest to understand this process and how it is dysregulated in disease. Transportin-1 (TNPO1) and the closely related transportin-2 have been identified as major nuclear import receptors of FUS.

Analysis of RBP Regulation and Co-regulation of mRNA 3' UTR Regions in a Luciferase Reporter System.

The luciferase reporter assay is a widely used tool to study the cis and trans factors controlling regulation of gene expression. In this assay, regulatory elements can be fused to the luciferase gene, and as a result effect protein output by changing rates of transcription, rates of translation, or mRNA stability. This protocol focuses on probing the function of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) through their interactions with the 3' untranslated region (UTR), thus examining gene expression regulation on the mRNA level.

Global Approaches in Studying RNA-Binding Protein Interaction Networks.

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play crucial roles in almost all aspects of cellular biology. RBP binding at specific target sites impacts expression of functionally coordinated sets of mRNAs and involves combinatorial and dynamic interactions with other RBPs. The complexity and principles of these regulatory networks are only beginning to be understood.

Antagonistic and cooperative AGO2-PUM interactions in regulating mRNAs.

Approximately 1500 RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) profoundly impact mammalian cellular function by controlling distinct sets of transcripts, often using sequence-specific binding to 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) to regulate mRNA stability and translation. Aside from their individual effects, higher-order combinatorial interactions between RBPs on specific mRNAs have been proposed to underpin the regulatory network. To assess the extent of such co-regulatory control, we took a global experimental approach followed by targeted validation to examine interactions between two well-characterized and highly conserved RBPs, Argonaute2 (AGO2) and Pumilio (PUM1 and PUM2).

Selection-dependent and Independent Generation of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Gene Knockouts in Mammalian Cells.

The CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering system has revolutionized biology by allowing for precise genome editing with little effort. Guided by a single guide RNA (sgRNA) that confers specificity, the Cas9 protein cleaves both DNA strands at the targeted locus. The DNA break can trigger either non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or homology directed repair (HDR).

Immunoblot screening of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockouts without selection.

Background: Targeted genomic editing using the CRISPR/Cas9 methodology has opened exciting new avenues in probing gene function in virtually any model system, including cultured mammalian cells. Depending on the desired mutation, several experimental options exist in the isolation of clonal lines, such as selection with introduced markers, or screening by PCR amplification of genomic DNA. However, streamlined approaches to establishing deletion and tagging mutants with minimal genomic perturbation are of interest in applying this methodology.