Recently in one of our tests we identified a cellular protein expressed without any mRNA expression of the same protein intracellularly. What could be possible explanation?
Kindly add possible references.
One possibility is that the protein is encoded by a non-coding RNA (ncRNA). ncRNAs are a type of RNA that do not encode proteins. They can have a variety of functions, such as regulating gene expression, RNA processing, and translation. It is possible that the protein you identified is encoded by a ncRNA that is not being detected by your mRNA assay.
Another possibility is that the protein is being translated from an mRNA that is unstable and rapidly degraded. This can happen if the mRNA is not properly processed or if it is targeted for degradation by microRNAs (miRNAs). If the mRNA is degraded before it can be translated, then you will not see any protein expression.
Protein degradation, Post-translational modification (PTM), and Translational regulation controlling the rate at which mRNA is translated into protein, are factors of absent mRNA expression.
Logically, you know that you must have mRNA to have protein. So, how did you measure the mRNA? How did you verify that the protein was not already present?
We can give better technical advice if you tell us more details.
Re: @Katie A S Burnette
One way is to use a technique called RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi is a process that uses small RNA molecules to silence the expression of specific genes.
Another way is Western blot analysis. Western blot analysis is a technique that uses antibodies to detect specific proteins in a sample.
Finally, you could also use a technique called quantitative PCR (qPCR) to measure the levels of mRNA for the protein.
However verifying proteins is not the proof method of verification, if the other control factors are unstable.
I concur that the most likely explanation is that the mRNA is short lived and you are just not detecting it. But there are some other possibilities, although rare and unusual. Provide some more details and you might get some suggestions, especially what organism/cells you are looking at. What might be true in E.coli might not be true in mammalian cells.
Yes, it is possible for a cell to express a protein without mRNA expression. This can occur through a process known as translation-independent protein expression. This process involves the direct insertion of a protein into the membrane or organelle of a cell. This can be done through the use of transfection, which involves the introduction of a DNA molecule into the cell, or through the use of viral vectors, which can carry the protein into the cell. Both of these methods can lead to the expression of a protein without the need for mRNA expression.
- Badges
- Science topic