G-quadruplex RNA structure as a signal for neurite mRNA targeting

M. Subramanian , F. Rage (1) , R. Tabet , E. Flatter , J.-L. Mandel (2) , H. Moine

1 IGMM - Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier
2 Collège de France - Chaire Génétique Humaine

Targeting of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) in neuron processes relies on cis-acting regulatory elements, the nature of which is poorly understood. Here, we report that approximately 30% of the best-known dendritic mRNAs contain a guanine (G)-quadruplex consensus in their 3'-untranslated region. Among these mRNAs, we show by using RNA structure probing that a G-quadruplex is present in the mRNAs of two key postsynaptic proteins: PSD-95 and CaMKIIa. The G-quadruplex structure is necessary and sufficient for the potent and fast localization of mRNAs in cortical neurites and this occurs in a metabotropic glutamate receptor-responsive manner. Thus, G-quadruplex seems to be a common neurite localization signal.

Mots clés: Animals Base Sequence Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2/genetics *G-Quadruplexes Humans Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/genetics Membrane Proteins/genetics Mice Mice; Inbred C57BL Molecular Sequence Data Neurites/*metabolism *Nucleic Acid Conformation RNA Transport RNA; Messenger/*chemistry/*metabolism

Domaines: Biochimie, Biologie Moléculaire

M. Subramanian, F. Rage, R. Tabet, E. Flatter, J.-L. Mandel, et al.. G-quadruplex RNA structure as a signal for neurite mRNA targeting. EMBO Reports, 2011, 12 (7), pp.697--704. ⟨10.1038/embor.2011.76⟩. ⟨hal-02193330⟩