Processing of Viral pre-mRNA

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to the processing of viral pre-mRNA, including capping, polyadenylation, splicing, and RNA regulation mechanisms.

5’ Cap

A methylated guanosine added to the 5’ end of an RNA transcript that plays a critical role in mRNA recognition by the translation machinery.

Poly(A) Tail

A stretch of adenosine residues added to the 3’ end of an mRNA that protects it from degradation and increases translational efficiency.

RNA Polymerase II

An enzyme that transcribes mRNA from DNA, playing a crucial role in the synthesis of eukaryotic mRNA.

Splicing

The process of removing introns from pre-mRNA and joining exons, resulting in the maturation of mRNA.

Alternative Splicing

A process that enables a single gene to code for multiple proteins by varying the combination of exons included in the final mRNA.

Cleave and Polyadenylation Specificity Factor (CPSF)

A protein that recognizes specific sequences in RNA to facilitate cleavage and the addition of the poly(A) tail.

Mature mRNA

The final version of mRNA that has been processed through capping, polyadenylation, and splicing, ready for translation.

Cap Snatching

A viral strategy where viruses steal caps from cellular mRNAs to modify their own transcripts.

siRNA (Short interfering RNA)

Small, double-stranded RNA molecules that interfere with the expression of specific genes, providing a defense mechanism against viral infections.

MicroRNA (miRNA)

Small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression, often involved in the response to viral infections.