On BC1 RNA and the fragile X mental retardation protein.

ABSTRACT: The fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), the functional absence of which causes fragile X syndrome, is an RNA-binding protein that has been implicated in the regulation of local protein synthesis at the synapse. The mechanism of FMRP's interaction with its target mRNAs, however, has remained controversial. In one model, it has been proposed that BC1 RNA, a small non-protein-coding RNA that localizes to synaptodendritic domains, operates as a requisite adaptor by specifically binding to both FMRP and, via direct base-pairing, to FMRP target mRNAs. Other models posit that FMRP interacts with its target mRNAs directly, i.e., in a BC1-independent manner. Here five laboratories independently set out to test the BC1-FMRP model. We report that specific BC1-FMRP interactions could be docum

SUBMITTER: Iacoangeli A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2206605 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature