Final answer:
The statement is false; the scenario describes post-translational regulation, not post-transcriptional gene regulation. Post-transcriptional regulation involves mRNA processes, while post-translational regulation modifies the protein after its synthesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
True or false: The modification of a protein that would lead to its increased stability in the cell can be referred to as a means of post-transcriptional gene regulation. The statement is false; the scenario described refers to post-translational regulation, which involves modifications to the protein after it is made, affecting its activity or stability. Post-transcriptional regulation, on the other hand, includes processes that occur after transcription but before translation, such as mRNA splicing, RNA stability, and mRNA shuttling.
RNA stability is significantly influenced by post-transcriptional control mechanisms. Factors like the length of the poly-A tail of an mRNA can determine how long an mRNA molecule will remain stable in the cytoplasm, thereby affecting the amount of protein produced. Moreover, the phosphorylation of proteins is not related to post-transcriptional regulation; it is a form of post-translational modification that can affect numerous aspects of a protein's function, including its stability and location within the cell.