BC1 RNA protein particles in mouse brain contain two y-,h-element-binding proteins, translin and a 37 kDa protein.

Neural BC1 RNA is distributed in dendrites in the form of ribonucleoprotein particles (RNP). Recently, Han et al. reported that testis-brain RNA-binding protein (the mouse homologue of Translin), known to be a translational repressor, links a subset of mRNAs to microtubules (MTs) through binding to their y-,h-sequence elements. We found that similar elements are also present in BC1 RNA. Therefore, it is possible that they also act as cis-elements, together with their transacting proteins, and control the transport of BC1 RNA along dendritic MTs. In this study, we demonstrated that two y-,h-element-binding proteins copurified with BC1 RNP. One was identified as mouse Translin and the other was a 37 kDa protein. This macromolecular assembly may constitute a transport particle for BC1 RNA. It is also possible that BC1 RNP or Translin itself may play a regulatory role(s) in the translation of mRNAs within dendrites.