Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39706187›Full record

ArticleMolecular cell2025

Quantitative profiling of human translation initiation reveals elements that potently regulate endogenous and therapeutically modified mRNAs.

Cole J T Lewis, Li H Xie, Shivani Milind Bhandarkar, Danni Jin, Kyrillos Abdallah, Austin S Draycott, Yixuan Chen, Carson C Thoreen, Wendy V Gilbert

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Molecular cell, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. NNature · 2026
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Overcoming the eIF2α Brake in Human Cell-Derived Translation Systems.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2025
    Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Uncovering mRNA sequences that control translation initiation.Nature reviews. Molecular cell biology · 2025
    Article
  18. Article
  19. Review
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Cole J T LewisDepartment of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Li H XieDepartment of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA; Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Shivani Milind BhandarkarDepartment of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Danni JinDepartment of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Kyrillos AbdallahDepartment of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Austin S DraycottDepartment of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Yixuan ChenDepartment of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA.
Carson C ThoreenDepartment of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA. Electronic address: carson.thoreen@yale.edu.
Wendy V GilbertDepartment of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06510, USA. Electronic address: wendy.gilbert@yale.edu.

Funding

Regulation and Function of snoRNA GenesR01GM101316 · NIGMS · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI Wendy Victoria Gilbert · 2014 to 2026
$3.9M
Translational Control by 5'-untranslated regionsR01GM132358 · NIGMS · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI GILBERT, WENDY VICTORIA · 2019 to 2022
$1.4M
Post-transcriptional control of gene expression by the mTORC1 signaling pathwayR35GM152167 · NIGMS · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI Carson Cornell Thoreen · 2024 to 2026
$1.3M
Developing Tools to Map and Quantify Dihydrouridine in the Mammalian TranscriptomeF31CA254339 · NCI · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI DRAYCOTT, AUSTIN STRATTON · 2020 to 2022
$138k
Functional Characterization of the Pseudouridine Synthase PUS10F31DK129022 · NIDDK · YALE UNIVERSITY · PI LEWIS, COLE · 2021 to 2022
$56k
NCI NIH HHS F31 CA254339NIDDK NIH HHS F31 DK129022NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM101316NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM132358NIGMS NIH HHS R35 GM152167
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

mRNA therapeutics offer a potentially universal strategy for the efficient development and delivery of therapeutic proteins. Current mRNA vaccines include chemically modified nucleotides to reduce cellular immunogenicity. Here, we develop an efficient, high-throughput method to measure human translation initiation on therapeutically modified as well as endogenous RNAs. Using systems-level biochemistry, we quantify ribosome recruitment to tens of thousands of human 5' untranslated regions (UTRs) including alternative isoforms and identify sequences that mediate 200-fold effects. We observe widespread effects of coding sequences on translation initiation and identify small regulatory elements of 3-6 nucleotides that are sufficient to potently affect translational output. Incorporation of N1-methylpseudouridine (m1Ψ) selectively enhances translation by specific 5' UTRs that we demonstrate surpass those of current mRNA vaccines. Our approach is broadly applicable to dissecting mechanisms of human translation initiation and engineering more potent therapeutic mRNAs.

Indexed as

mRNA VaccinesPeptide Chain Initiation, TranslationalRNA, Messenger5' Untranslated RegionsHEK293 CellsHumansProtein BiosynthesisPseudouridineRibosomes5' Untranslated RegionsmRNA VaccinesPseudouridineRNA, Messenger5′ untranslated regionhigh-throughput screeningN1-methylpseudouridineribosomeRNA modificationtherapeutic mRNAtranslation initiation

Identifiers

PMID39706187
PMCPMC11780321

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.