RNA-BINDING PROTEINS AS REGULATORS OF GENE-EXPRESSION

A plethora of post-transcriptional mechanisms are involved in essentia l steps in the pathway of genetic information expression in eukaryotes . These processes are specified by cis-acting signals on RNAs and are mediated by specific trans-acting factors, including RNA-binding prote ins and small complementary RNAs. Recent information has begun to defi ne the molecular mechanisms by which RNA-binding proteins recognize sp ecific RNA sequences and influence the processing and function of RNA molecules.