Key insight made in control of protein translation
Gene regulation was tested in C. elegans, a type of roundworm. They looked at the gonads, which produce gametes (sperm and eggs). Although they found that during gamete production most genes are regulated by the 3' UTRs, those involved in sperm production are controlled by promoters instead.
The egg's DNA is barely modified after fertilization and will make all of the cell types of the embryo, so DNA involved in egg production needs to be ready to express all genes. Therefore, it is better to make RNA constantly, and then decide whether to translate it using 3' UTRs. Sperm-producing genes, on the other hand, don't need to be as ready, so they can limit the amount of RNA they make.
Since it was previously thought that promoters were the more dominating gene regulator, this study will have a broad impact on the future study of gene expression. A great deal of research has already been done to study the ways in which promoters decide whether to transcribe genes, but we know relatively little about the processes behind the translation control of 3' UTRs.
"We are going to have to pay a lot more attention to 3' UTRs … if we want to understand how genes are regulated," Seydoux said.
The egg's DNA is barely modified after fertilization and will make all of the cell types of the embryo, so DNA involved in egg production needs to be ready to express all genes. Therefore, it is better to make RNA constantly, and then decide whether to translate it using 3' UTRs. Sperm-producing genes, on the other hand, don't need to be as ready, so they can limit the amount of RNA they make.
Since it was previously thought that promoters were the more dominating gene regulator, this study will have a broad impact on the future study of gene expression. A great deal of research has already been done to study the ways in which promoters decide whether to transcribe genes, but we know relatively little about the processes behind the translation control of 3' UTRs.
"We are going to have to pay a lot more attention to 3' UTRs … if we want to understand how genes are regulated," Seydoux said.
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