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Updated: May 25, 2026

Analysis of RNA Processing Reactions Using Cell Free Systems: 3' End Cleavage of Pre-mRNA Substrates in vitro
Published on: May 3, 2014
Widespread RNA 3'-end oligouridylation in mammals
Yun S Choi1, Weronika Patena, Andrew D Leavitt
1Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA.
Abstract:
Nontemplated 3'-end oligouridylation of RNA occurs in many species, including humans. Unlike the familiar phenomenon of polyadenylation, nontemplated addition of uridines to RNA is poorly characterized in higher eukaryotes. Recent studies have reported nontemplated 3'-end oligouridylation of small RNAs and mRNAs. Oligouridylation is involved in many aspects of microRNA biology from biogenesis to turnover of the mature species, and it may also mark long mRNAs for degradation by promoting decapping of the protective 5'-cap structure. To determine the prevalence of oligouridylation in higher eukaryotes, we used next-generation sequencing technology to deeply examine the population of small RNAs in human cells. Our data revealed widespread nontemplated nucleotide addition to the 3' ends of many classes of RNA, with short stretches of uridine being the most frequently added nucleotide.
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