RNA processing
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RNA processing
We know that 5' capping and 3' polyadenylation are necessary for the mRNA in eucaryotes. These transformations do not happen in procaryotes. Which is the advantage in eucaryotes, excenp from the fact that the RNA is more protected from exonucleases?
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- Coral
- Posts: 198
- Joined: Sun Nov 30, 2008 3:51 am
- Location: University of Rhode Island
Capping may increase the half life. Bacterial mRNA has a half life of around 2 minutes most of the time. When capped, though it is necessary to link to the ribosomes, eukaryotic mRNA has a much longer half life (10-24 hours). It is unsure if the cap is the reason, but my textbook pitches the idea. Not sure about the chemistrybehind it though (not my strongpoint).
I don't know if it is an advantage, but the separation of the nucleus and the cytoplasm is why the mRNA needs to be modified for transportation, and then to be 'read' once in the cytoplasm, in a eukaryotic cell. While in the prokaryotic cell, there is no separation, and can actually be 'read' while the mRNA is even still being made.
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