The Role of mRNA End Protection in Preventing mRNA Decay,How are the ends of an mRNA protected to prevent decay?

The Role of mRNA End Protection in Preventing mRNA Decay

The ends of messenger RNA (mRNA) are essential components of the gene expression process and must be protected to prevent decay and maintain gene expression. The 3′ and 5′ ends of mRNA are particularly vulnerable to enzymatic attack, which can lead to mRNA degradation. To combat this, mRNA molecules possess an array of protective strategies at their ends. One key mechanism of mRNA end protection is the recruitment of end-protecting proteins that physically shield the vulnerable ends of the mRNA. These proteins include poly(A) binding proteins (PABPs) at the 3′ end and cap-binding proteins (CBP) at the 5′ end. PABPs bind to the polyadenylated tail of the mRNA, preventing nucleases from attacking the ends and degrading the mRNA. CBPs, on the other hand, interact with the 5′ cap structure of the mRNA, shielding it from enzymatic attack (Lehmann et al., 2018; Bohnsack and Tollervey, 2020). In addition to these physical shields, the ends of mRNA molecules are also protected. Cont…