Musashi Homolog 1 (MSI1)

MSI1 encodes a protein containing two conserved tandem RNA recognition motifs. Similar proteins in other species function as RNA-binding proteins and play central roles in posttranscriptional gene regulation. Expression of this gene has been correlated with the grade of the malignancy and proliferative activity in gliomas and melanomas. A pseudogene for this gene is located on chromosome 11q13.

In the postnatal and adult CNS, concurrent expression of Msi1 and Msi2 was seen in cells of astrocyte lineage, including ependymal cells. During neurogenesis, expression of both Msi1 and Msi2 was lost in most postmitotic neurons, whereas Msi2 expression persisted in a limited subset of neurons and ganglia.