Role of ribonucleoproteins in stem cell function of planarians

Abstract

Dissecting the mechanisms of stem cell function is key to understanding the principles of regeneration in planaria. A major limitation of studying stem cell biology has been in characterizing stem cell populations in finer detail. Multifaceted roles of mitochondria in cellular energetics, redox and ion balance, and metabolism-driven epigenetic regulation have implicated its importance in stem cell state transitions, although the molecular details of how regulation of mitochondrial state affects stem cell homeostasis and differentiation still remain poorly understood. A recent study showed that planarian stem cell states can be further distinguished using mitochondrial states and that perturbation in mitochondrial activity affects stem cell differentiation. In light of these findings, we explore how a particular post-transcriptional regulator from the Tudor family affects stem cell function and whether it is through modulation of mitochondrial state of these cells.