Processing bodies (also called GW or Dcp bodies) are regions within the cytoplasm of the eukaryotic cell consisting of many enzymes involved in mRNA turnover. P bodies are likely the site of miRNA action, as miRNA-targeted mRNAs are recruited to P bodies and degraded or sequestered from translational machinery.

The following activities of p-bodies were demonstrated:

• decapping and degradation of unwanted mRNAs
• storing mRNA until needed for translation
• aid in translational repression by miRNAs (related to siRNAs)

In neurons, P-bodies move by motor proteins in response to stimulation. This is likely tied to local translation in dendrites.^[1]

New evidence by Hoyle et al. suggests a novel site termed EGP bodies may be responsible for mRNA storage as these sites lack the decapping enzyme.^[2]

[edit] References

1. ^ Cougot, Nicolas; Bhattacharyya, Suvendra N.; Tapia-arancibia, Lucie; Bordonne, Remy; Filipowicz, Witold; Bertrand, Edouard; Rage, Florence (2008), "Dendrites of Mammalian Neurons Contain Specialized P-Body-Like Structures That Respond to Neuronal Activation", Journal of Neuroscience 28 (51): 13793, doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4155-08.2008, PMID 19091970, http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/abstract/28/51/13793 
2. ^ Hoyle et al., 2007. Stress dependent relocalization of translationally primed mRNPs to cytoplasmic granules that are kinetically and spatially distinct from P-bodies. Journal of Cell Biology. 179,1,65-74

• Jean Marx (2005-11-04). "P-Bodies Mark the Spot for Controlling Protein Production.". Science magazine. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/310/5749/764.pdf. Retrieved 2006-09-10. 

[edit] Further reading

• Eulalio, Ana.; Behm-Ansmant, Isabelle. Izaurralde, Elisa. (January 2007). "P bodies: at the crossroads of post-transcriptional pathways". Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 8 (1): 9–22. doi:10.1038/nrm2080. 

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