Skip to main content
Back

Eukaryotic RNA Processing and Splicing definitions

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/14
  • Pre-mRNA
    An unmodified RNA transcript in eukaryotes containing both introns and exons, not yet ready for translation.
  • Mature mRNA
    A fully processed RNA molecule with introns removed, exons joined, and both a 5' cap and poly-A tail, ready for translation.
  • 5' Cap
    A modified guanine nucleotide added to the 5' end of pre-mRNA, crucial for stability, export, and ribosome attachment.
  • Poly-A Tail
    A stretch of adenine nucleotides added to the 3' end of pre-mRNA, enhancing stability, export, and translation efficiency.
  • RNA Processing
    A set of eukaryotic modifications to pre-mRNA, including capping and tailing, that prepare RNA for splicing and translation.
  • RNA Splicing
    A eukaryotic process removing introns and joining exons in pre-mRNA, producing a transcript suitable for protein synthesis.
  • Spliceosome
    A large RNA-protein complex responsible for excising introns and ligating exons during RNA splicing.
  • Intron
    A non-coding sequence within a gene or pre-mRNA that interrupts coding regions and is removed during splicing.
  • Exon
    A coding sequence in DNA or RNA that remains after splicing and is ultimately expressed as part of a protein.
  • Alternative Splicing
    A mechanism allowing a single gene to generate multiple mRNA and protein variants by varying exon inclusion.
  • Translation
    The cellular process where ribosomes synthesize proteins using mature mRNA as a template.
  • Ribosome
    A cellular structure that binds mature mRNA and facilitates the assembly of amino acids into proteins.
  • Nucleus
    The eukaryotic organelle where transcription and initial RNA processing occur before mRNA export to the cytoplasm.
  • Degradation
    The enzymatic breakdown of RNA molecules, prevented in mature mRNA by protective modifications like the 5' cap and poly-A tail.