Cap-Independent mRNA Translation in Germ Cells
Author
Keiper, Brett D.
Abstract
Cellular mRNAs in plants and animals have a 50-cap structure that is accepted as the
recognition point to initiate translation by ribosomes. Consequently, it was long assumed that the
translation initiation apparatus was built solely for a cap-dependent (CD) mechanism. Exceptions that
emerged invoke structural damage (proteolytic cleavage) to eukaryotic initiation factor 4 (eIF4) factors
that disable cap recognition. The residual eIF4 complex is thought to be crippled, but capable of
cap-independent (CI) translation to recruit viral or death-associated mRNAs begrudgingly when
cells are in great distress. However, situations where CI translation coexists with CD translation
are now known. In such cases, CI translation is still a minor mechanism in the major background
of CD synthesis. In this review, I propose that germ cells do not fit this mold. Using observations
from various animal models of oogenesis and spermatogenesis, I suggest that CI translation is a
robust partner to CD translation to carry out the translational control that is so prevalent in germ cell
development. Evidence suggests that CI translation provides surveillance of germ cell homeostasis,
while CD translation governs the regulated protein synthesis that ushers these meiotic cells through
the remarkable steps in sperm/oocyte differentiation.
Date
2019-01-04
Citation:
APA:
Keiper, Brett D.. (January 2019).
Cap-Independent mRNA Translation in Germ Cells.
,
(),
-
. Retrieved from
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/7963
MLA:
Keiper, Brett D..
"Cap-Independent mRNA Translation in Germ Cells". .
. (),
January 2019.
October 03, 2023.
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/7963.
Chicago:
Keiper, Brett D.,
"Cap-Independent mRNA Translation in Germ Cells," , no.
(January 2019),
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/7963 (accessed
October 03, 2023).
AMA:
Keiper, Brett D..
Cap-Independent mRNA Translation in Germ Cells. .
January 2019;
():
.
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/7963. Accessed
October 03, 2023.
Collections