Size-dependent accumulation of mRNA at the leading edge of chicken embryo fibroblasts

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 390; no. 3; pp. 750 - 754
• Main Authors: Yamagishi, Mai, Shirasaki, Yoshitaka, Funatsu, Takashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 18.12.2009
• Subjects: Actins - biosynthesis; Actins - genetics; Animals; Chick Embryo; Cytoplasmic microstructure; Fibroblast; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Leading edge; Live cell imaging; Molecular Weight; mRNA localization; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; mRNA localization; Leading edge; Cytoplasmic microstructure; Fibroblast; Live cell imaging
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2009.10.043

β-actin mRNA localizes to the leading edge of a living chicken embryo fibroblast. Recently we proposed that the mRNA maintains its localization at the leading edge by utilizing the heterogeneity of cytoplasmic microstructure (Yamagishi et al., 2009 [10]). In this study, we observed the intracellular distribution of β-actin mRNA variants to elucidate the mechanism of mRNA localization at the leading edge. We found that the degree of localization correlated positively with the molecular mass of the mRNA variants. We further demonstrated that the molecular mass-dependent localization was found even with dextrans, which have no biological function. The dependency of localization on molecular mass suggested that the barrier effect caused by the physical obstruction of the cytoplasmic microstructure is one of the major factors controlling mRNA localization in motile fibroblasts.