Tapas and RNA in Renaissance Spain.

摘要

Our understanding of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) is expanding rapidly. The identification of new RNA-mediated processes and the elucidation of new roles for known RNA-binding factors have highlighted the i mportance of RNA biology for development and disease. A recent meeting in the beautiful renaissance town of Baeza (Spain), sponsored by the Universidad International de Andalucia (UNIA), provided a timely discussion of recent developments in understanding RBP structure and function. As in a tapas restaurant, a series of small treats of mRNA biology were served. These covered traditional areas such as splicing regulation, RNA localization, and mRNA stability and translation, as well as newer topics such as the regulation of microRNA processing and activity. The diverse functions played by particular RBPs uncovered connections between seemingly disparate processes. The multiple roles and overlapping regulatory networks controlled by RBPs provided a context for the discussion of new approaches to characterize RBP targets on a genome-wide scale and to understand their cellular functions broadly.