Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2020 Sep 3;21(9):e50799.
doi: 10.15252/embr.202050799. Epub 2020 Aug 16.

So close, no matter how far: multiple paths connecting transcription to mRNA translation in eukaryotes

Boris Slobodin  1 , Rivka Dikstein  1
Affiliations
Review

So close, no matter how far: multiple paths connecting transcription to mRNA translation in eukaryotes

Boris Slobodin et al. EMBO Rep. .

Abstract

Transcription of DNA into mRNA and translation of mRNA into proteins are two major processes underlying gene expression. Due to the distinct molecular mechanisms, timings, and locales of action, these processes are mainly considered to be independent. During the last two decades, however, multiple factors and elements were shown to coordinate transcription and translation, suggesting an intricate level of synchronization. This review discusses the molecular mechanisms that impact both processes in eukaryotic cells of different origins. The emerging global picture suggests evolutionarily conserved regulation and coordination between transcription and mRNA translation, indicating the importance of this phenomenon for the fine-tuning of gene expression and the adjustment to constantly changing conditions.

Keywords: IRES; gene expression; m6A; mRNA translation; transcription.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Multiple features bridge transcription and mRNA translation
Transcription employs a network of multiple elements and factors to exert translation regulation. Note that some parameters are static and encoded in genome (left box), while others might be condition‐dependent and dynamic (right box).
Figure 2
Figure 2. Cis‐acting elements regulating both transcription and translation
The particular impacts of each element on transcription and translation are detailed (left and right columns, respectively). Note that unlike other elements, the TATA box does not appear in the mRNA sequence.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Impact of the m6A modification on translation
Reported effects of m6A on translation are detailed according to the intragenic site of deposition, molecular mechanisms, and regulating factors.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Schematic overview of the factors linking nuclear transcription and cytoplasmic translation
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Akichika S, Hirano S, Shichino Y, Takeo S, Nishimasu H, Ishitani R, Sugita A, Hirose Y, Iwasaki S, Nureki O et al (2019) Cap‐specific terminal N6‐methylation of RNA by an RNA polymerase II–associated methyltransferase. Science 363: 6423 - PubMed
    1. Amir‐Zilberstein L, Ainbinder E, Toube L, Yamaguchi Y, Handa H, Dikstein R (2007) Differential regulation of NF‐kappaB by elongation factors is determined by core promoter type. Mol Cell Biol 27: 5246–5259 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Andersson R, Sandelin A (2020) Determinants of enhancer and promoter activities of regulatory elements. Nat Rev Genet 21: 71–87 - PubMed
    1. Andreev DE, O'Connor PB, Fahey C, Kenny EM, Terenin IM, Dmitriev SE, Cormican P, Morris DW, Shatsky IN, Baranov PV (2015) Translation of 5′ leaders is pervasive in genes resistant to eIF2 repression. Elife 4: e03971 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Araujo PR, Yoon K, Ko D, Smith AD, Qiao M, Suresh U, Burns SC, Penalva LOF (2012) Before it gets started: regulating translation at the 5′UTR. Comp Funct Genomics 2012: 4756731 - PMC - PubMed

Publication types