The 5' untranslated region of mRNA for ribosomal protein S19 is involved in its translational regulation during Xenopus development.

• DOI: 10.1128/mcb.10.2.816
• Publication Date: 2015-10-01T21:52:04Z
• Authors: P Mariottini; F Amaldi
• Keywords: Translation; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Transcription, Genetic; Zygote; Messenger; Restriction Mapping; Xenopus laevi; animal cell; Xenopus laevis; Cloning, Molecular; Non-U.S. Gov't; Settore BIO/11 - BIOLOGIA MOLECOLARE; 0303 health sciences; Nonmammalian; article; Prokaryota; priority journal; Ribonucleoproteins; Polyribosome; Female; Support; Anura; Transcription; Ribosomal Proteins; messenger rna; Molecular Sequence Data; embryo; messenger rna; ribosome protein; age; animal cell; article; embryo; embryo development; nonhuman; priority journal; rna translation; toad; translation regulation; Animal; Base Sequence; Cloning, Molecular; DNA; Embryo, Nonmammalian; Female; Gene Expression Regulation; Genes, Structural; Molecular Sequence Data; Polyribosomes; Restriction Mapping; Ribonucleoproteins; Ribosomal Proteins; RNA, Messenger; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Transcription, Genetic; Translation, Genetic; Xenopus laevis; Zygote; Animalia; Anura; Felis catus; Prokaryota; translation regulation; Ribosomal Protein; 03 medical and health sciences; ribosome protein; Structural; Genetic; Animalia; Animals; RNA, Messenger; rna translation; nonhuman; Base Sequence; Animal; Molecular; embryo development; Ribonucleoprotein; DNA; toad; age; Gene Expression Regulation; Genes; Polyribosomes; Protein Biosynthesis; RNA; Felis catu; Cloning

During Xenopus development, the synthesis of ribosomal proteins is regulated at the translational level. To identify the region of the ribosomal protein mRNAs responsible for their typical translational behavior, we constructed a fused gene in which the upstream sequences (promoter) and the 5' untranslated sequence (first exon) of the gene coding for Xenopus ribosomal protein S19 were joined to the coding portion of the procaryotic chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene deleted of its own 5' untranslated region. This fused gene was introduced in vivo by microinjection into Xenopus fertilized eggs, and its activity was monitored during embryogenesis. By analyzing the pattern of appearance of CAT activity and the distribution of the S19-CAT mRNA between polysomes and messenger ribonucleoproteins, it was concluded that the 35-nucleotide-long 5' untranslated region of the S19 mRNA is able to confer to the fused S19-CAT mRNA the translational behavior typical of ribosomal proteins during Xenopus embryo development.