Shared Stabilization Functions of Pyrimidine-Rich Determinants in the Erythroid 15-lipoxygenase and α -globin mRNAs

Abstract

ABSTRACT The poly(C)-binding proteins, αCPs, comprise a set of highly conserved KH-domain factors that participate in mRNA stabilization and translational controls in developmental and viral systems. Two prominent models of αCP function link these controls to late stages of erythroid differentiation: translational silencing of 15-lipoxygenase ( Lox ) mRNA and stabilization of α -globin mRNA. These two controls are mediated via association of αCPs with structurally related C-rich 3′-untranslated region elements: the differentiation control elements (DICE) in Lox mRNA and the pyrimidine-rich motifs in α- globin mRNA. In the present report a set of mRNA translation and stability assays are used to determine how these two αCP-containing complexes, related in structure and position, mediate distinct posttranscriptional controls. While the previously reported translational silencing by the DICE is not evident in our studies, we find that the two determinants mediate similar levels of mRNA stabilization in erythroid cells. In both cases this stabilization is sensitive to interference by a nuclear-restricted αCP decoy but not by the same decoy restricted to the cytoplasm. These data support a general role for αCPs in stabilizing a subset of erythroid mRNAs. The findings also suggest that initial binding of αCP to target mRNAs occurs in the nucleus. Assembly of stabilizing mRNP complexes in the nucleus prior to export may maximize their impact on cytoplasmic events.