He PC, He C.
mRNA accessibility within mRNPs as a determinant of gene expression.
Trends Biochem Sci 2024;
49:199-207. [PMID:
38071089 PMCID:
PMC10939938 DOI:
10.1016/j.tibs.2023.11.003]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Gene expression is a complex process requiring many control mechanisms to achieve a desired phenotype. DNA accessibility within chromatin is well established as an important determinant of gene expression. By contrast, while mRNA also associates with a complement of proteins, the exact nature of messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) packaging and its functional relevance is not as clear. Recent reports indicate that exon junction complex (EJC)-mediated mRNP packaging renders exon junction-proximal regions inaccessible for m6A methylation, and that EJCs reside within the inaccessible interior of globular transcription and export (TREX) complex-associated nuclear mRNPs. We propose that 'mRNA accessibility' within mRNPs is an important determinant of gene expression that may modulate the specificity of a broad array of regulatory processes including but not limited to m6A methylation.
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