Degrading chloroplast mRNA: the role of polyadenylation

Citation
R. Hayes et al., Degrading chloroplast mRNA: the role of polyadenylation, TRENDS BIOC, 24(5), 1999, pp. 199-202
Citations number
39
Categorie Soggetti
Biochemistry & Biophysics
Journal title
TRENDS IN BIOCHEMICAL SCIENCES
ISSN journal
09680004 → ACNP
Volume
24
Issue
5
Year of publication
1999
Pages
199 - 202
Database
ISI
SICI code
0968-0004(199905)24:5<199:DCMTRO>2.0.ZU;2-N
Abstract
Chloroplast development involves changes in the stability of specific plast id mRNAs. To understand how the half-lives of these mRNAs are modified, sev eral laboratories are investigating how plastid mRNAs are degraded. This ha s led to the isolation of a high-molecular-weight complex that contains an endoribonuclease and a 3'-5' exoribonuclease, and the discovery that effici ent mRNA degradation requires polyadenylation. These findings are similar t o recent discoveries in Escherichia coli. However, an important difference between the two systems is that chloroplast mRNA degradation involves nucle ar-encoded proteins, Modification of these proteins could provide the mecha nism for altering plastid-mRNA half-lives in response to developmental stim uli.