Axonal mRNA transport and translation at a glance

Abstract

Localization and translation of mRNAs within different subcellular domains provides an important mechanism to spatially and temporally introduce new proteins in polarized cells. Neurons make use of this localized protein synthesis during initial growth, regeneration and functional maintenance of their axons. Although the first evidence for protein synthesis in axons dates back to 1960s, improved methodologies, including the ability to isolate axons to purity, highly sensitive RNA detection methods and imaging approaches, have shed new light on the complexity of the transcriptome of the axon and how it is regulated. Moreover, these efforts are now uncovering new roles for locally synthesized proteins in neurological diseases and injury responses. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and the accompanying poster, we provide an overview of how axonal mRNA transport and translation are regulated, and discuss their emerging links to neurological disorders and neural repair.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Apr 13, 2018
Source ID
10.1242/jcs.196808

Entities

People

  • Deanna S Smith
  • Jeffery L Twiss
  • Nora Perrone-Bizzozero
  • Pabitra K Sahoo

Organizations

  • Adelson Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Science Foundation
  • United States Department of Defense
  • University of New Mexico
  • University of South Carolina

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Molecular Biology and Genetics
  • Neuroscience
  • Theoretical Analysis.