UCSF

The production of ribosomes plays a central role in regulating cell cycle progression and cancer proliferation. A new study by Gaviraghi et al (2018) shows that mRNA decapping coactivator PNRC1 acts as a tumor suppressor by regulating ribosome biogenesis. PNRC1 relocalizes the Dcp1/Dcp2 mRNA decapping complex to the nucleolus and promotes decapping of specific snoRNAs to disrupt the processing of ribosomal RNA. By slowing rRNA processing, and thus ribosome biogenesis, PNRC1 acts as a gatekeeper that restrains oncogenic potential.