We analyzed protein-RNA networks and identified properties of RNA attracting proteins in large assemblies. We found that trinucleotide repeats in the FMR1 gene attract several proteins including the splicing factor TRA2A that aggregates in Fragile X-associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome (FXTAS).
Reference
Cid-Samper F, Gelabert-Baldrich M, Lang B, Lorenzo-Gotor N, Ponti RD, Severijnen LWFM, Bolognesi B, Gelpi E, Hukema RK, Botta-Orfila T, Tartaglia GG 2018, ‘An Integrative Study of Protein- RNA Condensates Identifies Scaffolding RNAs and Reveals Players in Fragile X-Associated Tremor/Ataxia Syndrome’, Cell Rep. 25(12):3422-3434.e7.
We used theoretical and experimental approaches to study which RNAs attract a large amount of proteins. We were surprised to find that our predicted interactions work as biomarkers for a neurodegenerative disease, Fragile X Tremor Ataxia Syndrome. It was particularly exciting that we detected the TRA2A protein in the brains of people with the disease – it is one of the most important findings of our research.