Fine-tuning cellular physiology in response to intracellular and environmental cues requires precise temporal and spatial control of gene expression. High-resolution imaging technologies to detect mRNAs and their translation state have revealed that all living organisms localize mRNAs in subcellular compartments and create translation hotspots, enabling cells to tune gene expression locally. Therefore, mRNA localization is a conserved and integral part of gene expression regulation from prokaryotic to eukaryotic cells. In this Review, we discuss the mechanisms of mRNA transport and local mRNA translation across the kingdoms of life and at organellar, subcellular and multicellular resolution. We also discuss the properties of messenger ribonucleoprotein and higher order RNA granules and how they may influence mRNA transport and local protein synthesis. Finally, we summarize the technological developments that allow us to study mRNA localization and local translation through the simultaneous detection of mRNAs and proteins in single cells, mRNA and nascent protein single-molecule imaging, and bulk RNA and protein detection methods.

微调细胞生理以响应细胞内和环境线索需要对基因表达进行精确的时间和空间控制。用于检测 mRNA 及其翻译状态的高分辨率成像技术表明，所有生物体都将 mRNA 定位在亚细胞区室中并产生翻译热点，从而使细胞能够在局部调节基因表达。因此，mRNA定位是从原核细胞到真核细胞的基因表达调控的保守和不可或缺的部分。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了 mRNA 转运和局部 mRNA 翻译在整个生命王国以及细胞器、亚细胞和多细胞分辨率下的机制。我们还讨论了信使核糖核蛋白和高阶 RNA 颗粒的特性，以及它们如何影响 mRNA 转运和局部蛋白质合成。最后，我们总结了使我们能够通过同时检测单细胞中的 mRNA 和蛋白质、mRNA 和新生蛋白质单分子成像以及大量 RNA 和蛋白质检测方法来研究 mRNA 定位和局部翻译的技术发展。