Signed, sealed, and delivered: RNA localization and translation at centrosomes

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Dorothy Lerit, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-05-01
• Publisher: AMER SOC CELL BIOLOGY
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2022 Lerit. “ASCB®,” “The American Society for Cell Biology®,” and “Molecular Biology of the Cell®” are registered trademarks of The American Society for Cell Biology
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1091/mbc.E21-03-0128
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 5
• Start Page: pe3
• End Page: pe3
• Grant/Funding Information: Research in the Lerit laboratory is supported by National Institutes of Health Grant no. R01GM-138544.
• Keywords: PERICENTRIOLAR MATERIAL; PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; BASAL BODIES; ACTIN MESSENGER-RNA; GAMMA-TUBULIN; NUCLEIC-ACIDS; REVEALS; Science & Technology; Cell Biology; CONSERVED LOCALIZATION; CELL-CYCLE; KINETOSOMES
• Research Categories: Biology, Cell

Abstract

Protein localization is intrinsic to cellular function and specialized activities, such as migration or proliferation. Many localized proteins enrich at defined organelles, forming subdomains of functional activity further specified by interacting protein assemblies. One well-studied organelle showing dynamic, functional changes in protein composition is the centrosome. Centrosomes are microtubule-organizing centers with diverse cellular functions largely defined by the composition of the pericentriolar material, an ordered matrix of proteins organized around a central pair of centrioles. Also localizing to the pericentriolar material are mRNAs. Although RNA was identified at centrosomes decades ago, the characterization of specific RNA transcripts and their functional contributions to centrosome biology remained largely unstudied. While the identification of RNA localized to centrosomes accelerated with the development of high-throughput screening methods, this discovery still outpaces functional characterization. Recent work indicates RNA localized to centrosomes is biologically significant and further implicates centrosomes as sites for local protein synthesis. Distinct RNA localization and translational activities likely contribute to the diversity of centrosome functions within cells.