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Cell biology of the neuron

ARC goes viral

Nature Reviews Neuroscience volume 19, pages 120–121 (2018)Cite this article

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Retroviral Gag proteins can self-assemble into RNA-carrying capsids that enable viral infection. Given the similarities between ARC and these viral Gag proteins, Ashley et al. and Pastuzyn et al. used electron microscopy to visualize preparations of dArc1 and rat ARC, respectively. Strikingly, dArc1 and ARC formed virus-like capsids, 30–40 nm in diameter. Ashley et al. used immunoprecipitation to show that dArc1 protein from larval muscle extract is specifically enriched for bound darc1 mRNA. Pastuzyn et al. also found that Arc mRNA (measured using qRT-PCR) in ARC protein preparations was resistant to RNase treatment. Together, these results suggest that ARC- or dArc1-containing capsids encapsulate Arc mRNA.

some EVs contain ARC or dArc1 capsids that in turn envelop Arc or darc1 mRNA

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References

  1. Ashley, J. et al. Retrovirus-like Gag protein Arc1 binds RNA and traffics across synaptic boutons. Cell 172, 262–274 (2018)

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  2. Pastuzyn, E. D. et al. The neuronal gene Arc encodes a repurposed retrotransposon Gag protein that mediates intercellular RNA transfer. Cell 172, 275–288 (2018)

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  1. Natasha Bray
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Bray, N. ARC goes viral. Nat Rev Neurosci 19, 120–121 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2018.9

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