Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 106, Issue 17, Pages 7028-7033Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0900028106
Keywords
mRNA processing; post-translational gene regulation
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Funding
- National Institutes of Health [R01 GM084089]
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The 3' untranslated regions (3' UTRs) of mRNAs contain cis-acting elements for posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. Here, we report that mouse genes tend to express mRNAs with longer 3' UTRs as embryonic development progresses. This global regulation is controlled by alternative polyadenylation and coordinates with initiation of organogenesis and aspects of embryonic development, including morphogenesis, differentiation, and proliferation. Using myogenesis of C2C12 myoblast cells as a model, we recapitulated this process in vitro and found that 3' UTR lengthening is likely caused by weakening of mRNA polyadenylation activity. Because alternative 3' UTR sequences are typically longer and have higher AU content than constitutive ones, our results suggest that lengthening of 3' UTR can significantly augment posttranscriptional control of gene expression during embryonic development, such as microRNA-mediated regulation.
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