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Amino acids are one of the key environmental stimuli signalling to mTOR. Although exactly how they are sensed and how they activate mTOR has remained elusive, a model has emerged that implicates signalling by RAG GTPases, Ragulator and v-ATPase at the lysosome and leucyl t-RNA synthetase in the cytoplasm.
The growth and maturation of mammalian oocytes rely on the communication with ovarian somatic cells as well as on dynamic cytoskeleton-based events. Increasing evidence suggests that self-organizing microtubules and motor proteins direct meiotic spindle assembly and actin filaments control spindle positioning and oocyte polarity, while meiotic chromatin provides key instructive signals.
The prevalence and physiological importance of alternative splicing in multicellular eukaryotes has led to increased interest in its control. Much has been learnt about how transcription and chromatin structure influence splicing events, as well as the effects of signalling pathways, and this understanding may hold promise for the development of gene therapies.
Structural data has provided insight into the molecular mechanisms that modulate fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling to generate distinct biological outputs in development, tissue homeostasis and metabolism. Mechanisms include alternative splicing of ligand and receptor, homodimerization and site-specific proteolytic cleavage of ligand, and interaction of ligand and receptor with heparan sulphate and Klotho co-receptors.
Both microRNAs (miRNAs) and other small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are induced by DNA breaks and have been linked to the DNA damage response. This interplay between ncRNAs and repair factors may help to ensure efficient DNA repair and maintenance of genome stability.