Figure 1.

Introduction to AREs, their cognate RBPs and the RNA constructs used in the present study. (A) Scheme of AREs as integral part of an mRNA’s 3′-UTR (upper panel). Lower panel, a potential ARE can exist in an equilibrium between its single-stranded form (ssRNA, e.g. recognized by the protein AUF1) and a structured form, the latter exemplified by a CDE-like shaped element bound by the highly specific Roquin ROQ domain. The target ARE conformers are mutually exclusive and can lead to redundant or competitive regulation of the ARE-containing mRNA through the respective cognate RBP. (B) The previously described regulatory ARE region in the UCP3 mRNA 3′-UTR shown as linear sequence and as its structured conformer with the two CDEs bound by Roquin (44). Below that, the two CDEs are shown as isolated wild type species and as stabilized SLs with the underlying numbering of bases as used in this study. See also Supplementary Figure S1.