Neurodegeneration: RNA turns number one suspect in polyglutamine diseases

Curr Biol. 2008 Aug 5;18(15):R659-R661. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2008.06.023.

Abstract

Polyglutamine expansion diseases are triggered by the accumulation of toxic proteins. A new study reports that RNA molecules containing long CAG repeats can also be toxic to neurons and may play a significant role in pathogenesis.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Drosophila / genetics*
  • Drosophila / metabolism
  • Drosophila / physiology
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
  • Drosophila Proteins / physiology
  • Glutamine / genetics
  • Glutamine / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / genetics*
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / metabolism
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Nuclear Proteins / physiology
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Peptides / metabolism*
  • RNA / chemistry*
  • RNA / metabolism
  • Trinucleotide Repeat Expansion*

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Peptides
  • mbl protein, Drosophila
  • Glutamine
  • polyglutamine
  • RNA