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Repressing the neuron within†

  1. Will Fairbrother1,
  2. Diane Lipscombe2,*

Article first published online: 14 DEC 2007

DOI: 10.1002/bies.20696

Issue

BioEssays

BioEssays

Volume 30, Issue 1, pages 1–4, January 2008

Additional Information

How to Cite

Fairbrother, W. and Lipscombe, D. (2008), Repressing the neuron within. Bioessays, 30: 1–4. doi: 10.1002/bies.20696

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Brown University, Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Providence Rhode Island

  2. 2

    Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Sidney E. Frank Hall for Life Sciences, Providence, Rhode Island

*Department of Neuroscience, Brown University, Sidney E. Frank Hall for Life Sciences, 185 Meeting Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02912.

  1. †

    We thank Summer Allen for careful reading and comments on the manuscript.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 14 DEC 2007
  2. Article first published online: 14 DEC 2007

Funded by

  • D. L. is grateful for support from NIH grants NS29967 and NS055251

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Abstract

A myriad of coordinated signals control cellular differentiation. Reprogramming the cell's proteome drives global changes in cell morphology and function that define cell phenotype. A switch in alternative splicing of many pre-mRNAs encoding neuronal-specific proteins accompanies neuronal differentiation. Three groups recently showed that the global splicing repressor, polypyrimidine track-binding protein (PTB), regulates this switch.1–3 Although a subset of neuronal genes are turned on in both non-neuronal and neuronal cells, restricted expression of PTB in non-neuronal cells diverts their mRNAs to nonsense-mediated decay and prevents protein expression. When the PTB brake is released, the cell splices like a neuron. BioEssays 30:1–4, 2008. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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