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Cai, T.; Cruz, N. M.; Basu, S.; White, R. M.; Mayr, C.
Stem cell differentiation depends on transcription factors that are often encoded by mRNAs with highly conserved 3'UTRs. To determine their functional roles, we performed 3'UTR loss-of-function studies. Partial deletion of endogenous 3'UTRs altered stem cell differentiation efficiency in 7/10 cases. As 6/7 3'UTR deletions did not affect expression level of the encoded proteins, we reveal widespread abundance-independent regulatory roles of 3'UTRs. For example, 3'UTR deletion of CTNNB1, an mRNA that encodes the essential Wnt co-activator {beta}-catenin, keeps {beta}-catenin levels unaffected but impairs zebrafish embryogenesis and induction of the Wnt transcriptional program during human stem cell differentiation. We show that long intermolecular 3'UTR-3'UTR interactions between Wnt transcription factor mRNAs and CTNNB1 enable co-translational protein complex assembly of these transcription factors with {beta}-catenin. As antisense oligonucleotide-mediated blocking of 3'UTR interactions impairs Wnt program induction, our findings indicate that transcriptional regulators can form functional units during protein biogenesis to be fully active.
In a molecular matchmaking plot twist, long conserved 3′UTRs don’t just chit-chat—they physically link up like quirky RNA wingmen, coaxing transcription factors and β-catenin into co-folding protein complexes on the fly to turbocharge Wnt signaling during stem cell dances.
Posted by Christine Mayr (@Mayr_Christine) highlighting conserved 3′UTR roles beyond expression levels; drew strong interest from RNA biologists and developmental folks for the elegant co-translational assembly model and functional antisense oligo validations
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CD4⁺ T cells confer transplantable rejuvenation via Rivers of telomeres
Lanna, A.; Valvo, S.; Dustin, M.; Rinaldi, F.
Using a GPT-5-driven autonomous lab to optimize the cost and titer of cell-free protein synthesis
Smith, A. A.; Wong, E. L.; Donovan, R. C.; Chapman, B. A.; Harry, R.; Tirandazi, P.; Kanigowska, P.; Gendreau, E. A.; Dahl, R. H.; Jastrzebski, M.; Cortez, J. E.; Bremner, C. J.; Hemuda, J. C. M.; Dooner, J.; Graves, I.; Karandikar, R.; Lionetti, C.; Christopher, K.; Consiglio, A. L.; Tran, A.; McCusker, W.; Nguyen, D. X.; Nunes da Silva, I. B.; Bautista-Ayala, A. R.; McNerney, M. P.; Atkins, S.; McDuffie, M.; Serber, W.; Barber, B. P.; Thanongsinh, T.; Nesson, A.; Lama, B.; Nichols, B.; LaFrance, C.; Nyima, T.; Byrn, A.; Thornhill, R.; Cai, B.; Ayala-Valdez, L.; Wong, A.; Che, A. J.; Thavaraj
A Single-Cell and Spatial 3D Multi-omic Atlas of Developing Human Basal Ganglia and Inhibitory Neurons
Heffel, M. G.; Xu, H.; Pastor-Alonso, O.; Li, X.; Baig, M. S.; Irfan Ghoor, R.; Li, R.; Kern, C.; Kum, J.; Zhang, Y.; Paino, J.; Tsai, M. J.; Tai, C.-Y.; Tucker, G.; Zhao, Z.; Hou, A.; von Behren, Z.; Bhade, M.; Li, S.; Sandoval, K.; Scholes, J.; Codrea, F.; Calimlim, J.; Liao, E. K.; Leung, G.; Kim, J.; Eskin, E.; Flint, J.; Cotter, J. A.; Pasaniuc, B.; Bintu, B.; Zhu, Q.; Mukamel, E. A.; Ernst, J.; Paredes, M. F.; Luo, C.
Prediction of transformative breakthroughs in biomedical research
Davis, M. T.; Busse, B. L.; Arabi, S.; Meyer, P.; Hoppe, T. A.; Meseroll, R. A.; Hutchins, B. I.; Willis, K. A.; Santangelo, G. M.