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Updated: May 10, 2026

Analysis of RNA Processing Reactions Using Cell Free Systems: 3' End Cleavage of Pre-mRNA Substrates in vitro
Published on: May 3, 2014
Alternative cleavage and polyadenylation: extent, regulation and function
Ran Elkon1, Alejandro P Ugalde, Reuven Agami
1Division of Gene Regulation, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
The 3' end of most protein-coding genes and long non-coding RNAs is cleaved and polyadenylated. Recent discoveries have revealed that a large proportion of these genes contains more than one polyadenylation site. Therefore, alternative polyadenylation (APA) is a widespread phenomenon, generating mRNAs with alternative 3' ends. APA contributes to the complexity of the transcriptome by generating isoforms that differ either in their coding sequence or in their 3' untranslated regions (UTRs), thereby potentially regulating the function, stability, localization and translation efficiency of target RNAs. Here, we review our current understanding of the polyadenylation process and the latest progress in the identification of APA events, mechanisms that regulate poly(A) site selection, and biological processes and diseases resulting from APA.
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