Fight aging by targeting an RNA-binding protein
As we age, our bodies undergo biological changes that cause a decline in the function of our cells and tissues. However, most studies attempting to identify molecules involved age-related dysfunctions have focused only on mechanisms based on mRNA transcription, a very important step in gene expression, but nonetheless only part of the complex regulatory mechanisms in our cells.
Scientists led by Johan Auwerx’s lab at EPFL, have taken a different route, and studied the link between aging and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), which bind mRNA molecules and regulate their fate after gene transcription. They have published their findings in Molecular Cell.
The scientists first screened cells from old animals to identify any RBPs that change upon aging. The screening showed that one particular protein, Pumilio2 (PUM2), was highly induced in old animals. PUM2 binds mRNA molecules containing specific recognition sites. Upon its binding, PUM2 represses the translation of the target mRNAs into proteins.