mRNAs trapped in the nucleus to prevent the shortening of their poly(A) tails by cytoplasmic enzymes (IMAGE)
Caption
To investigate how poly(A) tails are made, the researchers created conditions where mRNAs were trapped in the nucleus to prevent the shortening of their poly(A) tails by cytoplasmic enzymes. The lengths of the poly(A) tails were then determined using a new technique called Nanopore direct RNA sequencing. Synthesis of the poly(A) tails was also reconstructed in a test tube to examine the details of the length control processes in isolation. This revealed three pathways for terminating the synthesis of mRNA poly(A) tails, two of which depend on the availability of the poly(A) binding proteins (PABPs) Nab2p and Pab1p. Each mechanism produces distinct poly(A) tail lengths.
Credit
Matti Turtola, Aarhus University
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