Spatial organization of single mRNPs at different stages of the gene expression pathway

Abstract

mRNAs form ribonucleoprotein complexes (mRNPs) by association with proteins that are crucial for mRNA metabolism. While the mRNP proteome has been well characterized, little is known about mRNP organization. Using a single molecule approach, we show that mRNA conformation changes depending on its cellular localization and translational state. Compared to nuclear mRNPs, translation decompacts individual mRNAs, consistent with formation of polysomes, while their sequestration into stress-granules leads to increased compaction. Moreover, translating mRNAs rarely show co-localizing 5' and 3' ends, indicating that mRNAs are either not translated in a closed-loop configuration, or that mRNA circularization is transient, suggesting that a stable closed-loop conformation is not a universal state for all translating mRNAs.