RNA-binding Protein Found to Play a Role in SCA2 Neurodegeneration
Is Staufen1 a kink in the SCA2 toxicity chain that can be exploited?
When a cell is stressed, it can initiate a mechanism to protect messenger RNAs (mRNAs) from harmful conditions. It does this by segregating the mRNAs, then packaging them up in droplets known as RNA stress granules. ATXN2, the protein that is mutated in SCA2, has previously been reported as a key component in the formation of these RNA stress granules (Nonhoff et al., 2007). This observation has led researchers to take a closer look at stress granule components, especially in the context of SCA2 disease tissues.
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