Functionalities of expressed messenger RNAs revealed from mutant phenotypes

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Evolutionary Biology

Background:

• Cells produce both functional and nonfunctional messenger RNAs (mRNAs).
• The prevalence of nonfunctional mRNAs raises questions about the functional implications of mRNA expression.
• Mutant phenotypes in model organisms offer insights into gene and mRNA functions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the functional implications of mRNA expression patterns and divergences.
• To highlight how mutant phenotype data from model organisms informs mRNA functionality.
• To identify knowledge gaps in characterizing noncoding RNA functions.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of mutant phenotype data from mouse tissues.
• Examination of studies on yeast essential genes and gene regulatory strategies.
• Review of research linking mRNA expression evolution to morphological evolution.

Main Results:

• Mouse mutant data reveal mRNA tissue-specificity, expression strength, and evolutionary conservation.
• Studies on mouse mutants demonstrate mRNA expression's role in morphological evolution.
• Yeast essential gene studies elucidate regulatory strategies reducing protein expression noise.

Conclusions:

• Mutant phenotype data are crucial for understanding functional mRNAs.
• mRNA expression evolution significantly impacts morphological evolution.
• Systematic characterization of noncoding RNA functions through mutation and phenotyping is needed.