This microprotein existing in P-body is also vital to our body

In the genome of human body, there is a large number of genes small open reading frame (smORF). They encode too small proteins that most of these genes have not been annotated, not to mention the function of the protein they translate. These "microproteins" are difficult to detect. Therefore, scientists at Yale University and the Salk Institute have adopted a set of special methods through recombinant mouse proteins. They first cleared the larger volume of protein in the cell and then analyzed the amino acid sequence of the remaining protein components using liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy proteomics and designed the biology Information algorithm. The results identified more than 400 such microproteins and their genes. The results have been published in the recent issue of the journal Nature.

Among the microproteins over 400, the scientists have performed a functional study of a protein that is involved in mRNA degradation in the cell and recycling excess mRNA, preventing mRNA from continuing to produce specific proteins that are no longer needed. Thus, the process of gene expression in the cell regulation is very important. However, for this mechanism, we didn't know that there is a "little" protein which plays a key role.

The protein, called Nobody, is indeed "obscure" as its name looks like. However, Nobody's actual full name is non-annotated P-body dissociating polypeptide, which means "un-annotated P-body dissociation polypeptide" and has high evolutionary conservatism.

The researchers found that Nobody exists in the P-body and has interaction with a variety of protein components (such as cap enzyme). P-body is consisting of mRNA and a variety of proteins, and it completes the mRNA degradation recovery process in the first step - dacapping. Experiments show that the level of Nobody in the cell is negatively correlated with the number of P-bodies, and abnormal changes in Nobody level would interfere with the normal mRNA recovery process.

"Although Nobody has not yet been associated with any specific disease, other micro-proteins have this potential," said Alan Saghatelian, professor of communication at the Salk Institute and one of authors of the paper. "For the search and analysis of these proteins, to reveal its role in physiological and pathological processes will be an exciting frontier in molecular biology." Flarebio offers high-quality recombinant proteins like recombinant NPP1 at competitive prices.