Determinants and implications of mRNA poly(A) tail size--does this protein make my tail look big?

Aimee L Jalkanen; Stephen J Coleman; Jeffrey Wilusz

doi:10.1016/j.semcdb.2014.05.018

Determinants and implications of mRNA poly(A) tail size--does this protein make my tail look big?

Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2014 Oct:34:24-32. doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2014.05.018. Epub 2014 Jun 5.

Authors

Aimee L Jalkanen¹, Stephen J Coleman¹, Jeffrey Wilusz²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
² Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. Electronic address: jeffrey.wilusz@colostate.edu.

Abstract

While the phenomenon of polyadenylation has been well-studied, the dynamics of poly(A) tail size and its impact on transcript function and cell biology are less well-appreciated. The goal of this review is to encourage readers to view the poly(A) tail as a dynamic, changeable aspect of a transcript rather than a simple static entity that marks the 3' end of an mRNA. This could open up new angles of regulation in the post-transcriptional control of gene expression throughout development, differentiation and cancer.

Keywords: Deadenylation; Hyperadenylation; Poly(A) tail; Polyadenylation; mRNA 3′ end processing.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Base Sequence
Gene Expression Regulation
Humans
Polyadenylation*
RNA, Messenger / genetics
RNA, Messenger / metabolism*

Substances

RNA, Messenger

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding