CONFERENCE COVERAGE SERIES
5th RNA Metabolism in Neurological Disease Conference
San Diego, California
01 – 02 November 2018
When RNA transcripts aren’t processed properly or don’t make it to their final destinations for translation into protein, the consequences could trigger neurodegenerative disease. At the 5th RNA Metabolism in Neurological Disease meeting, researchers reported how RNA-binding proteins tasked with keeping transcripts in order manage to fall out of line themselves—gelling with other proteins and RNA in cytoplasm. Scientists linked previously disparate mechanisms of C9ORF72 toxicity into cohesive feed-forward loops, and hatched plans for new therapeutic approaches.
It’s ‘And,’ Not ‘Either-Or’: C9ORF72 Mechanisms of Action are Linked
At an RNA metabolism meeting, scientists reported connections between C9ORF72 loss and gain of function. Their talks brimmed with new biology implicating autophagy, the cellular stress response, and RAN translation off introns.
Beyond the Nucleus: TDP-43 Sticks Together, For Better or Worse
At a meeting in San Diego, researchers traded news about how TDP-43 gets trapped in the cytoplasm, finding both good and bad consequences of its exodus from the nucleus.
Going the Distance: FUS Travels to Terminals, Drops Off RNA
Scientists say chaperones keep FUS from joining up with aggregating proteins as FUS makes its way down axons to deliver RNAs for local translation. ALS/FTD mutations bungle the process.