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Related Concept Videos

Pre-mRNA Processing: Modification of pre-mRNA Ends01:35

Pre-mRNA Processing: Modification of pre-mRNA Ends

In eukaryotic cells, transcripts made by RNA polymerase are modified and processed before exiting the nucleus. Unprocessed RNA is called precursor mRNA or pre-mRNA to distinguish it from mature mRNA.
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a cap to the 5' end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5' phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached (7-methyl guanosine). This 5' cap helps the cell...
pre-mRNA Processing02:01

pre-mRNA Processing

In eukaryotic cells, transcripts made by RNA polymerase are modified and processed before exiting the nucleus. Unprocessed RNA is called precursor mRNA or pre-mRNA to distinguish it from mature mRNA.
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a “cap” to the 5’ end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5’ phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached to it (7-Methyl guanosine). This 5’ cap helps the...
Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases00:58

Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases

RNA Polymerase (RNAP) is conserved in all animals, with bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic RNAPs sharing significant sequence, structural, and functional similarities. Among the three eukaryotic RNAPs, RNA Polymerase II is most similar to bacterial RNAP in terms of both structural organization and folding topologies of the enzyme subunits. However, these similarities are not reflected in their mechanism of action.
All three eukaryotic RNAPs require specific transcription factors, of which the...
Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases00:58

Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases

RNA Polymerase (RNAP) is conserved in all animals, with bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic RNAPs sharing significant sequence, structural, and functional similarities. Among the three eukaryotic RNAPs, RNA Polymerase II is most similar to bacterial RNAP in terms of both structural organization and folding topologies of the enzyme subunits. However, these similarities are not reflected in their mechanism of action.
All three eukaryotic RNAPs require specific transcription factors, of which the...
mRNA Stability and Gene Expression02:51

mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability
RNA Editing02:23

RNA Editing

RNA editing is a post-transcriptional modification where a precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) nucleotide sequence is changed by base insertion, deletion, or modification. The extent of RNA editing varies from a few hundred bases, in mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomes, to a just single base, in nuclear genes of mammals. Even a single base change in the pre-mRNA can convert a codon for one amino acid into the codon for another amino acid or a stop codon. This type of re-coding can significantly affect the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

Measurement of Poly A Tail Length from Drosophila Larva Brain and Cell Line
08:16

Measurement of Poly A Tail Length from Drosophila Larva Brain and Cell Line

Published on: January 12, 2024

Mitochondrial poly(A) polymerase and polyadenylation.

Jeong Ho Chang1, Liang Tong

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA.

Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta
|December 17, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Polyadenylation of mitochondrial RNAs by PAPD1 (mtPAP) in mammals impacts mRNA translation and stability. This process differs in plants, where it typically leads to RNA degradation, reflecting the organelle's bacterial origins.

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Area of Science:

  • Mitochondrial biology
  • Gene expression regulation
  • RNA processing

Background:

  • Polyadenylation of mitochondrial RNAs (mtRNAs) in eukaryotes influences their function, metabolism, translation, and stability.
  • In mammals, polyadenylation often completes the stop codon of mitochondrial mRNAs, affecting translation and stability.
  • In plants, mtRNA polyadenylation generally results in degradation, aligning with the organelle's bacterial ancestry.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of PAPD1 (mtPAP, TUTase1), a noncanonical poly(A) polymerase (ncPAP), in mammalian mitochondrial RNA polyadenylation.
  • To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying mtPAP's catalytic activity.
  • To provide insights into the regulation of mitochondrial gene expression.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the crystal structure of human PAPD1.
  • Biochemical assays to study PAPD1's polyadenylation activity.
  • Comparative analysis of polyadenylation in mammalian and plant mitochondria.

Main Results:

  • The crystal structure of human PAPD1 provides molecular details of its catalytic function in producing poly(A) tails on mitochondrial mRNAs.
  • PAPD1 is identified as the key enzyme responsible for polyadenylation in mammalian mitochondria.
  • Contrasting roles of polyadenylation in mammals (regulation) and plants (degradation) highlight evolutionary divergence.

Conclusions:

  • PAPD1 plays a crucial role in mammalian mitochondrial RNA metabolism by adding poly(A) tails.
  • The structural insights into PAPD1 offer a basis for understanding its enzymatic mechanism and regulation.
  • Differences in mtRNA polyadenylation between mammals and plants underscore the distinct evolutionary paths of mitochondria.