Evolution of the molecules coupling mRNA transport with translational control in metazoans

Abstract

Restricting proteins to specific subcellular regions is fundamental for various cellular processes. Such compartmentalization seems particularly important in large eukaryotic cells, and, accordingly, localization processes have been characterized best during embryogenesis, oogenesis, and in neuronal cells. A key mechanism underlying this process is the transport of mRNAs by molecular motors. Equally relevant is the translational control of the cargo mRNA, and this points to the importance of molecules that couple transport of mRNAs to translational control. In this chapter, we review recent discoveries sheading light on the evolution of one of the best-characterized machineries that couples transport and translation of mRNAs in metazoans, namely the Drosophil a Bic-D/Egl/Dyn RNA localization machinery.