Positive and negative cis-regulatory elements directing postfertilization maternal mRNA translational control in mouse embryos.

ABSTRACT: Mechanisms providing for temporally complex patterns of maternal mRNA translation after fertilization are poorly understood. We employed bioinformatics analysis to compare populations of mRNAs enriched specifically on polysomes at the metaphase II (MII) stage oocyte and late one-cell stages and a detailed deletion/truncation series to identify elements that regulate translation. We used the Bag4 3' untranslated region (UTR) as a model. Bioinformatics analysis revealed one conserved motif, subsequently confirmed by functional studies to be a key translation repressor element. The deletion/truncation studies revealed additional regulatory motifs, most notably a strong translation activator element of <30 nt. Analysis of mRNA secondary structure suggests that secondary structure plays a key r

SUBMITTER: Potireddy S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2957265 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature