MRNA interactions promote cotranslational association of heteromeric membrane proteins.

ABSTRACT: Heteromeric membrane proteins play crucial physiological roles, yet how they are formed remains poorly understood. Heteromeric hERG1a/1b ion channels, essential for maintaining normal cardiac rhythm, assemble via cotranslational association of their encoding mRNAs. We hypothesized that direct hERG1a and 1b mRNA interactions facilitate this process. Using fluorescence colocalization and free energy of binding predictions, we found that hERG1a and 1b mRNAs form specific heterotypic condensates in vitro, suggesting direct interactions. When hERG1a mRNA was altered by synonymous mutations predicted to reduce its structural diversity and ability to interact with other mRNAs, overlap with hERG1b was dramatically diminished both in vitro and

SUBMITTER: Flores-Aldama L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12236669 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature