hnRNP complexes: composition, structure, and function

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) are predominantly nuclear RNA-binding proteins that form complexes with RNA polymerase II transcript s. These proteins function in a staggering array of cellular activities, ra nging from transcription and pre-mRNA processing in the nucleus to cytoplas mic mRNA translation and turnover. Recent studies suggest that several fund amental characteristics of hnRNPs account for their involvement in multiple regulatory pathways.