Posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression is emerging as key controllers of gene expression and is thought to be critical for the localized change in protein levels involved in cell differentiation and in the maintenance of the differentiated phenotype, especially in polarized cells such as neuronal cells. The neuron specific ELAV proteins (HuB, HuC and HuD) act posttranscriptionally by binding to adenine- and uridine- rich elements (AREs) in 3’ untranslated region of a set of target mRNAs, and by increasing mRNA cytoplasmic stability and rate of translation. Protein kinase C activation is known to induces up-regulation and redistribution of nELAV proteins. HuC is reported to have an important role in spatial learning performance in mice.
Posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression is a ribonucleoprotein-driven process, which involves RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and non-coding RNAs that affect splicing, nuclear export, subcellular localization, mRNA decay and translation. The RNP Immunoprecipitation-Chip (RIP-Chip), RIP-Seq and RIP-RTPCR allow the identification of multiple RNA targets of RBPs globally and within the context of a cell extract. Antibodies specific to the RNA binding protein of interest are used to co-immunoprecipitate the RNA binding protein and the associated subset of mRNAs. The mRNA content is interrogated using standard microarray or sequencing technology. RIP-Certified Antibody is validated for use in RNP Immunoprecipitation (RIP) in conjunction with the RIP-Assay Kit distributed from MBL. Its ability to immunoprecipitate mRNAs and RBPs complex was confirmed by quantitative and qualitative analysis on NanoDrop, Bioanalyzer and RT-PCR or microarray.