Protein Translation in Parkinson's Disease

During protein translation, cells generate proteins based on the genetic information stored in nucleotides. This is a fundamental, and therefore a very tightly regulated process. Neurons are known to extensively utilize translational regulation to fulfill their functional needs, thereby increasing their susceptibility to translational defects. Recent studies on the molecular mechanisms of familial Parkinson's disease (PD) suggested that protein translation is one of the major cellular processes implicated in the pathology. In this chapter, we summarize translational defects found in familial PD mutants. Furthermore, we discuss molecular mechanisms involved in the pathology, and also possibilities of targeting the translational machinery for therapeutic intervention in PD.