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Projekt Druckansicht

Biochemie/Molekularbiologie

Fachliche Zuordnung Zellbiologie
Förderung Förderung von 2005 bis 2009
Projektkennung Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 5440901
 
Erstellungsjahr 2010

Zusammenfassung der Projektergebnisse

Funded by the Heisenberg-Fellowship my research was focused on the post-transcriptional control of gene expression. Projects comprised the regulation of mRNA translation by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in different processes including cellular differentiation (control of protein synthesis in enucleated erythroid cells), tumor development (VEGF expression under hypoxic conditions), viral RNA expression (regulation of HCV RNA translation) and inflammation (innate immune response of macrophages). The influence of post-translational modifications on the structure, function and localization of regulatory RBPs in specific RNA-protein complexes (RNPs) was a key aspect of my work. Arginine methylation is a common post-translational modification in higher eukaryotes, but information about its biological role in post-transcriptional control of gene expression is insufficient so far. Post-translational modifications of hnRNP K that modulate its function in RNA-protein complexes attracted special attention. Earlier we identified hnRNP K as specific regulator of mRNA translation in erythroid cells. Interestingly, hnRNP K was found to interact with tyrosine kinase c-Src and to activate the enzyme. Phosphorylation of Y458 by c-Src modulates the RNA binding activity of hnRNP K and controls its function in translation regulation. Mass spectrometry analysis and Edman sequencing of purified hnRNP K identified five quantitatively asymmetrically dimethylated arginine residues (R256, 258, 268, 296, 299). We analyzed the methylating enzyme and characterized protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) as the specific enzyme acting on hnRNP K in vitro and in vivo. Arginine methylation did not influence hnRNP K functions as RBP and regulator of mRNA translation or its cellular localization. However, hnRNP K methylation diminished the interaction with c-Src, resulting in inhibition of c-Src activation and hnRNP K phosphorylation. These findings indicate that hnRNP K arginine methylation specifically regulates its interaction with signaling proteins.

Projektbezogene Publikationen (Auswahl)

 
 

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