Cell News—Mapping translation in live cells

β-actin mRNA (green) and ribosomes (magenta) in live mouse embryonic fibroblasts with focal adhesions labeled with paxillin-mCherry (yellow). Figure from Katz et al eLife 2016;5:e10415

β-actin mRNA (green) and ribosomes (magenta) in live mouse embryonic fibroblasts with focal adhesions labeled with paxillin-mCherry (yellow). Figure from Katz et al eLife 2016;5:e10415

Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) code gene protein products and are highly mobile within the cell.   While researchers have been able to track mRNA movement, it wasn’t possible to see which of these mRNAs were actively translating to proteins. Now Zachary Katz and colleagues in ASCB member Robert H. Singer’s lab at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine have developed a method to track translating mRNAs with labeled ribosomes. They found that ribosome load affects mRNA movement; highly translating mRNAs move slower. This method can be used to track where ribosomes are engaged for local protein production, and how this affects other processes. Published in eLife.

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