RNA-binding protein Musashi homolog 1 also known as Musashi-1 is a
protein that in humans is encoded by the ''MSI1''
gene.
Function
This gene encodes a
protein containing two conserved tandem RNA recognition motifs and functions as an
RNA binding protein
RNA-binding proteins (often abbreviated as RBPs) are proteins that bind to the double or single stranded RNA in cells and participate in forming ribonucleoprotein complexes.
RBPs contain various structural motifs, such as RNA recognition motif ...
that is involved in post-transcriptional gene editing. It is a
stem cell
In multicellular organisms, stem cells are undifferentiated or partially differentiated cells that can differentiate into various types of cells and proliferate indefinitely to produce more of the same stem cell. They are the earliest type o ...
marker that controls the balance between self-renewal and terminal differentiation.
Clinical significance
Over expression of this gene is associated with the grade of the malignancy and proliferative activity in
gliomas and
melanoma
Melanoma, also redundantly known as malignant melanoma, is a type of skin cancer that develops from the pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. Melanomas typically occur in the skin, but may rarely occur in the mouth, intestines, or eye ( ...
s.
An increased expression of MSI1 protein is observed in
endometriosis
Endometriosis is a disease of the female reproductive system in which cells similar to those in the endometrium, the layer of tissue that normally covers the inside of the uterus, grow outside the uterus. Most often this is on the ovaries, f ...
and
endometrial carcinoma siRNA-mediated inhibition of MSI expression in endometrial carcinoma cells induces
apoptosis
Apoptosis (from grc, ἀπόπτωσις, apóptōsis, 'falling off') is a form of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms. Biochemical events lead to characteristic cell changes (morphology) and death. These changes incl ...
and inhibits
cell proliferation
Cell proliferation is the process by which ''a cell grows and divides to produce two daughter cells''. Cell proliferation leads to an exponential increase in cell number and is therefore a rapid mechanism of tissue growth. Cell proliferation re ...
by affecting the
Notch signaling pathway
The Notch signaling pathway is a highly Conserved sequence, conserved cell signaling system present in most animals. Mammals possess four different Notch proteins, notch receptors, referred to as NOTCH1, NOTCH2, Notch 3, NOTCH3, and NOTCH4. The ...
MSI1 is highly expressed in neural progenitor cells and is required for normal development of the brain. A mutation in these gene is responsible for autosomal recessive primary
microcephaly. MSI1 also interacts with the
Zika virus genome and may explain why these cells are highly susceptible to Zika virus infection.
See also
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Musashi-2
References
Further reading
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RNA-binding proteins
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