Messenger RNA Turnover in Eukaryotes: Pathways and Enzymes
Abstract
The control of mRNA degradation is an important component of the regulation of gene expression since the steady-state concentration of mRNA is determined both by the rates of synthesis and of decay. Two general pathways of mRNA decay have been described in eukaryotes. Both pathways share the exonucleolytic removal of the poly(A) tail (deadenylation) as the first step. In one pathway, deadenylation is followed by the hydrolysis of the cap and processive degradation of the mRNA body by a 5' exonuclease. In the second pathway, the mRNA body is degraded by a complex of 3' exonucleases before the remaining cap structure is hydrolyzed. This review discusses the proteins involved in the catalysis and control of both decay pathways.
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mRNA stability and translation are controlled by a complex network of RNA/protein interactions and depend on the primary and secondary structures of mRNAs, their rates of translation, and the initiation of one of the various degradation mechanisms.
“mRNA stability and translation are controlled by a complex network of RNA/protein interactions and depend on the primary and secondary structures of mRNAs, their rates of translation, and the initiation of one of the various degradation mechanisms.[28][29][30][31]”
From Modification of antigen-encoding RNA increases stability, translational efficacy, and T-cell stimulatory capacity of dendritic cells (2006) · cites this paper as [30]
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“In agreement with this, all components of the complex that have been examined are localized mainly in the cytoplasm (Cougot et al., 2004a; Huh et al., 2003; Temme et al., 2004; Tucker & Parker, 2000; Tucker et al., 2002).”
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- Authors
- Meyer, S., Temme, C., & Wahle, E.
- Affiliations
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Wahle, Elmar
- Venue
- Critical Reviews in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2004-01
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 197-216
- ISSN
- 0045-6411 (ISSN-L)
- 1040-9238
- 1549-7798
- OpenAlex
- W2104752637
- Cited by
- 342
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 26
- FWCI
- 2.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Critical Reviews in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA Research and Splicing
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA regulation and disease
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Keywords
- mRNA turnover, mRNA degradation, deadenylation, poly(A) tail, 5' exonuclease, 3' exonuclease, gene expression regulation
- MeSH terms
- Eukaryotic Cells, Exoribonucleases, Gene Expression Regulation, Poly A, RNA Caps, RNA Precursors, RNA, Messenger, Protein Biosynthesis, Signal Transduction, RNA Stability, RNA Cap-Binding Proteins
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