The sound of silence: Human β-defensin-1 gene untranslated SNPs change the predicted mRNA secondary structure in a length-dependent manner

• Published in: Immunology letters Vol. 129; no. 1; pp. 53 - 55
• Main Authors: Naslavsky, M.S, Crovella, S, Filho, J.L. Lima, Rocha, C.R.C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 10.03.2010
• Subjects: 5' Untranslated Regions - genetics; Allergy and Immunology; Alternative Splicing - immunology; Alternative transcription initiation; beta-Defensins - genetics; beta-Defensins - metabolism; Computer Simulation; DEFB1; Gene Expression Regulation - immunology; Haplotypes; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Nucleic Acid Conformation; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Protein Binding - genetics; Protein Biosynthesis - genetics; Protein Biosynthesis - immunology; Regulation of gene expression; RNA secondary structure; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Software; Transcription Factors - metabolism; DEFB1; Alternative transcription initiation; Regulation of gene expression; RNA secondary structure
• ISSN: 0165-2478; 1879-0542
• DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2009.12.024

Abstract This study investigated how 5′-UTR of DEFB1 gene (encoding for the human β-defensin-1) affects mRNA secondary structure and its correlation with translation efficiency in the susceptibility of diseases. It was possible to determine DEFB1 mRNA folding under the influence of 5′-UTR SNPs haplotypes and putative alternative transcript lengths. Different DEFB1 mRNAs that fold in a pattern that is haplotype and length-dependent are potentially able to drive changes in peptide expression dynamics.