Mutational analysis of a heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2 response element for RNA trafficking

Cytoplasmic transport and localization of mRNA has been reported for a range of oocytes and somatic cells. The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A2 response element (A2RE) is a 21-nucleotide segment of the myelin basic protein mRNA that is necessary and sufficient for cytoplasmic transport of this message in oligodendrocytes, The predominant A2RE-binding protein in rat brain has previously been identified as hnRNP A2, Here we report that an 11-nucleotide subsegment of the A2RE (A2RE11) was as effective as the full-length A2RE in binding hnRNP A2 and mediating transport of heterologous RNA in oligodendrocytes, Point mutations of the A2RE11 that eliminated binding to hnRNP A2 also markedly reduced the ability of these oligoribonucleotides to support RNA transport, Oligodendrocytes treated with antisense oligonucleotides directed against the translation start site of hnRNP A2 had reduced levels of this protein and disrupted transport of microinjected myelin basic protein RNA. Several A2RE-like sequences from localized neuronal RNAs also bound hnRNP A2 and promoted RNA transport in oligo-dendrocytes, These data demonstrate the specificity of A2RE recognition by hnRNP A2, provide direct evidence for the involvement of hnRNP A2 in cytoplasmic RNA transport, and suggest that this protein may interact with a wide variety of localized messages that possess A2RE-like sequences

A molecular mechanism for mRNA trafficking in neuronal dendrites

Specific neuronal mRNAs are localized in dendrites, often concentrated in dendritic spines and spine synapses, where they are translated. The molecular mechanism of localization is mostly unknown. Here we have explored the roles of A2 response element (A2RE), a cis-acting signal for oligodendrocyte RNA trafficking, and its cognate trans-acting factor, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein ( hnRNP) A2, in neurons. Fluorescently labeled chimeric RNAs containing A2RE were microinjected into hippocampal neurons, and RNA transport followed using confocal laser scanning microscopy. These RNA molecules, but not RNA lacking the A2RE sequence, were transported in granules to the distal neurites. hnRNP A2 protein was implicated as the cognate trans-acting factor: it was colocalized with RNA in cytoplasmic granules, and RNA trafficking in neurites was compromised by A2RE mutations that abrogate hnRNP A2 binding. Coinjection of antibodies to hnRNP A2 halved the number of trafficking cells, and treatment of neurons with antisense oligonucleotides also disrupted A2RE - RNA transport. Colchicine inhibited trafficking, whereas cells treated with cytochalasin were unaffected, implicating involvement of microtubules rather than microfilaments. A2RE-like sequences are found in a subset of dendritically localized mRNAs, which, together with these results, suggests that a molecular mechanism based on this cis-acting sequence may contribute to dendritic RNA localization

Compartmentalisation and localisation of the translation initiation factor (eIF) 4F complex in normally growing fibroblasts

Previous observations of association of mRNAs and ribosomes with subcellular structures highlight the importance of localised translation. However, little is known regarding associations between eukaryotic translation initiation factors and cellular structures within the cytoplasm of normally growing cells. We have used detergent-based cellular fractionation coupled with immunofluorescence microscopy to investigate the subcellular localisation in NIH3T3 fibroblasts of the initiation factors involved in recruitment of mRNA for translation, focussing on eIF4E, the mRNA cap-binding protein, the scaffold protein eIF4GI and poly(A) binding protein (PABP). We find that these proteins exist mainly in a soluble cytosolic pool, with only a subfraction tightly associated with cellular structures. However, this "associated" fraction was enriched in active "eIF4F" complexes (eIF4E.eIF4G.eIF4A.PABP). Immunofluorescence analysis reveals both a diffuse and a perinuclear distribution of eIF4G, with the perinuclear staining pattern similar to that of the endoplasmic reticulum. eIF4E also shows both a diffuse staining pattern and a tighter perinuclear stain, partly coincident with vimentin intermediate filaments. All three proteins localise to the lamellipodia of migrating cells in close proximity to ribosomes, microtubules, microfilaments and focal adhesions, with eIF4G and eIF4E at the periphery showing a similar staining pattern to the focal adhesion protein vinculin

Visualizing Cells in Three Dimensions Using Confocal Microscopy, Image Reconstruction and Isosurface Rendering: Application to Glial Cells in Mouse Central Nervous System

This paper describes a general method for visualizing individual cells in intact tissue in three dimensions. The method involves immunostaining intact tissue to label specific cells, optical sectioning the stained tissue by laser scanning confocal microscopy, computationally reconstructing a three dimensional image data set from the digitized confocal optical sections, delineating isosurfaces of specific intensity within the reconstructed image by a marching cubes algorithm to generate polygon meshes defining boundaries of cells, and displaying individual cells, identified as three dimensional objects enclosed by contiguous polygon meshes, using computer graphics techniques. Each of the components of this method has been described previously in conjunction with other applications. However the combination of these techniques to visualize a variety of different individual cell types in three dimensions in intact tissue represents a new approach. To illustrate the application of this method, we have visualized three different glial cell types in mouse CNS tissue. Oligodendrocytes, specifically stained with antibody to myelin basic protein, were used as an example of cells labelled with an internal membrane antigen. Astrocytes, specifically stained with antibody to glial fibrillary acidic protein, were used as an example of cells labelled with a cytoplasmic antigen. Microglia, specifically stained with Mac.1 antibody, were used as an example of cells labelled with an external membrane antigen. The images that are generated contain remarkably detailed volumetric and textural information that is not obtainable by conventional imaging techniques

Myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) in the CNS of adult shiverer (Shi/Shi) mice

Brain fractions of adult control (+ / +) and shiverer (Shi/Shi) mice were investigated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting. Immunostaining with specific antisera against rat brain myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) was detected at about the 96-kD region of gels in electrophoresed samples of the total homogenate, low-speed supernatant fraction, and low- and high-speed sedimentable portions of brain from +/+ mice. Reduced immunostaining was observed in the corresponding samples of brain fractions from Shi/Shi mice. The cerebrum, cerebellum, and medulla of +/+ and Shi/Shi mice were examined immunocytochemically for MAG on paraffin-embedded sections. Periaxonal immunostaining for MAG was observed in all the regions and the highest concentrations were in the corpus callosum, in the central cores of cerebellar folia, and in the medulla. Patterns of distribution were similar in +/+ and Shi/Shi mice, although the density of immunostaining around individual axons and the number of immunostained axons were significantly reduced in Shi/Shi mice. In addition, the three brain regions of Shi/Shi mice exhibited oligodendrocyte-like cells that contained immunostaining for MAG in the cytoplasm and periphery of their perikarya. This type of immunostained cell was not observed in +/+ mice. In this study, immunoblotting with brain fractions and immunocytochemistry revealed strong evidence for reduced concentrations of MAG in the CNS of Shi/Shi mice compared to control mice. In addition, there is immunocytochemical evidence for abnormal accumulation of MAG in perikarya of oligodendroglial-like cells, suggesting the possibility of a transport block for myelin proteins in the shiverer mutant.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/50217/1/490160405_ftp.pd

Determinants of translation efficiency and accuracy

A given protein sequence can be encoded by an astronomical number of alternative nucleotide sequences. Recent research has revealed that this flexibility provides evolution with multiple ways to tune the efficiency and fidelity of protein translation and folding

Regulatory modules function in a non-autonomous manner to control transcription of the mbp gene

Multiple regulatory modules contribute to the complex expression programs realized by many loci. Although long thought of as isolated components, recent studies demonstrate that such regulatory sequences can physically associate with promoters and with each other and may localize to specific sub-nuclear transcription factories. These associations provide a substrate for putative interactions and have led to the suggested existence of a transcriptional interactome. Here, using a controlled strategy of transgenesis, we analyzed the functional consequences of regulatory sequence interaction within the myelin basic protein (mbp) locus. Interactions were revealed through comparisons of the qualitative and quantitative expression programs conferred by an allelic series of 11 different enhancer/inter-enhancer combinations ligated to a common promoter/reporter gene. In a developmentally contextual manner, the regulatory output of all modules changed markedly in the presence of other sequences. Predicted by transgene expression programs, deletion of one such module from the endogenous locus reduced oligodendrocyte expression levels but unexpectedly, also attenuated expression of the overlapping golli transcriptional unit. These observations support a regulatory architecture that extends beyond a combinatorial model to include frequent interactions capable of significantly modulating the functions conferred through regulatory modules in isolation

Time-Lapse Imaging of the Dynamics of CNS Glial-Axonal Interactions In Vitro and Ex Vivo

Myelination is an exquisite and dynamic example of heterologous cell-cell interaction, which consists of the concentric wrapping of multiple layers of oligodendrocyte membrane around neuronal axons. Understanding the mechanism by which oligodendrocytes ensheath axons may bring us closer to designing strategies to promote remyelination in demyelinating diseases. The main aim of this study was to follow glial-axonal interactions over time both in vitro and ex vivo to visualize the various stages of myelination.We took two approaches to follow myelination over time: i) time-lapse imaging of mixed CNS myelinating cultures generated from mouse spinal cord to which exogenous GFP-labelled murine cells were added, and ii) ex vivo imaging of the spinal cord of shiverer (Mbp mutant) mice, transplanted with GFP-labelled murine neurospheres. We demonstrate that oligodendrocyte-axonal interactions are dynamic events with continuous retraction and extension of oligodendroglial processes. Using cytoplasmic and membrane-GFP labelled cells to examine different components of the myelin-like sheath, we provide evidence from time-lapse fluorescence microscopy and confocal microscopy that the oligodendrocytes' cytoplasm-filled processes initially spiral around the axon in a corkscrew-like manner. This is followed subsequently by focal expansion of the corkscrew process to form short cuffs, which then extend longitudinally along the axons. We predict from this model that these spiral cuffs must extend over each other first before extending to form internodes of myelin.These experiments show the feasibility of visualizing the dynamics of glial-axonal interaction during myelination over time. Moreover, these approaches complement each other with the in vitro approach allowing visualization of an entire internodal length of myelin and the ex vivo approach validating the in vitro data