A loss of function allele for murine Staufen1 leads to impairment of dendritic Staufen1-RNP delivery and dendritic spine morphogenesis.

The dsRNA-binding protein Staufen was the first RNA-binding protein proven to play a role in RNA localization in Drosophila. A mammalian homolog, Staufen1 (Stau1), has been implicated in dendritic RNA localization in neurons, translational control, and mRNA decay. However, the precise mechanisms by which it fulfills these specific roles are only partially understood.