Polo-like kinase 4 (Plk4) is the master regulator of centriole assembly. Several evolutionarily conserved mechanisms strictly regulate Plk4 abundance and activity to ensure cells maintain a proper number of centrioles. In this issue of Genes & Development, Phan et al. (pp. 718–736) add to this growing list by describing a new mechanism of control that restricts Plk4 translation through competitive ribosome binding at upstream open reading frames (uORFs) in the mature Plk4 mRNA. Fascinatingly, this mechanism is especially critical in the development of primordial germ cells in mice that are transcriptionally hyperactive and thus exquisitely sensitive to Plk4 mRNA regulation.

中文翻译：

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平衡尺度：微调 Polo 样激酶 4 以确保适当的中心粒复制

Polo 样激酶 4 (Plk4) 是中心粒组装的主要调节因子。几种进化上保守的机制严格调节 Plk4 的丰度和活性，以确保细胞保持适当数量的中心粒。在本期《基因与发育》中，Phan 等人。(pp. 718–736) 通过描述一种新的控制机制添加到这个不断增长的列表中，该机制通过成熟 Plk4 mRNA 中上游开放阅读框 (uORF) 的竞争性核糖体结合来限制 Plk4 翻译。令人着迷的是，这种机制在小鼠原始生殖细胞的发育中尤为重要，这些原始生殖细胞转录过度活跃，因此对 Plk4 mRNA 调节非常敏感。