A Smaug2-Based Translational Repression Complex Determines the Balance between Precursor Maintenance versus Differentiation during Mammalian Neurogenesis

Abstract

The mechanisms instructing neural stem cells to generate the appropriate progeny are still poorly understood. Here, we show that the RNA-binding proteins Smaug2 and Nanos1 are critical regulators of this balance and provide evidence supporting the idea that neural precursors are transcriptionally primed to generate neurons but translational regulation maintains these precursors in a stem cell state until the appropriate developmental time.