Pj. Good, THE ROLE OF ELAV-LIKE GENES, A CONSERVED FAMILY ENCODING RNA-BINDING PROTEINS, IN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT, SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, 8(6), 1997, pp. 577-584
The elav gene is the prototype for a developmental regulator encoding
a tissue-specific RNA-binding protein. The family of elav-like genes i
ncludes multiple members that are expressed in the nervous system at d
ifferent times during development and also one that is expressed in al
l tissues. The elav-like proteins are proposed to function by binding
to specific mRNAs and regulating their expression to control a develop
mental program. Consistent with this model, the overexpression of some
elav-like genes results in an alteration in the developmental fates o
f some cells. Potential mRNA targets for these proteins have been iden
tified along with functions in alternative RNA processing, cytoplasmic
polyadenylation, and mRNA stability. This diversity of post-transcrip
tional regulatory events may be due to combinatorial interactions with
other RNA-binding proteins and multiple effectors of RNA regulation.
(C) 1997 Academic Press Ltd.