a Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN , USA.
b Department of Biological Chemistry , University of Michigan , Ann Arbor , MI , USA.
RNA Biol. 2018;15(10):1255-1267. doi: 10.1080/15476286.2018.1526541. Epub 2018 Oct 9.
Post-transcriptional control of messenger RNA (mRNA) is an important layer of gene regulation that modulates mRNA decay, translation, and localization. Eukaryotic mRNA decay begins with the catalytic removal of the 3' poly-adenosine tail by deadenylase enzymes. Multiple deadenylases have been identified in vertebrates and are known to have distinct biological roles; among these proteins is Nocturnin, which has been linked to circadian biology, adipogenesis, osteogenesis, and obesity. Multiple studies have investigated Nocturnin's involvement in these processes; however, a full understanding of its molecular function remains elusive. Recent studies have provided new insights by identifying putative Nocturnin-regulated mRNAs in mice and by determining the structure and regulatory activities of human Nocturnin. This review seeks to integrate these new discoveries into our understanding of Nocturnin's regulatory functions and highlight the important remaining unanswered questions surrounding its regulation, biochemical activities, protein partners, and target mRNAs.
mRNA 的转录后调控是基因调控的一个重要层面，可调节 mRNA 的降解、翻译和定位。真核生物的 mRNA 降解始于脱腺苷酶催化去除 3' 多聚腺苷酸尾。脊椎动物中已经鉴定出多种脱腺苷酶，并且已知它们具有不同的生物学作用；这些蛋白质中就包括 Nocturnin，它与生物钟生物学、脂肪生成、成骨和肥胖有关。多项研究调查了 Nocturnin 在这些过程中的参与情况；然而，其分子功能的全面理解仍然难以捉摸。最近的研究通过在小鼠中鉴定出可能受 Nocturnin 调控的 mRNA，并确定了人类 Nocturnin 的结构和调节活性，提供了新的见解。这篇综述旨在将这些新发现纳入我们对 Nocturnin 调节功能的理解，并强调围绕其调节、生化活性、蛋白质伴侣和靶 mRNA 存在的重要而未解决的问题。
