Question

What are the 4 modifications pre-mRNA goes through to produce mature translatable mRNA? What level of gene regulation is this?

Answer 1

Pre-mRNA undergoes four modifications to produce mature translatable mRNA: capping, polyadenylation, splicing, and editing.

Step-by-step explanation:

Pre-mRNA undergoes four modifications to produce mature translatable mRNA:

1. Capping: A modified nucleotide, called a cap, is added to the 5' end of the pre-mRNA. This cap provides stability and assists in the recognition of the mRNA by the translation machinery.
2. Polyadenylation: A poly-A tail is added to the 3' end of the pre-mRNA. This tail protects the mRNA from degradation and aids in the export of the mRNA from the nucleus.
3. Splicing: Introns, non-coding regions within the pre-mRNA, are removed through a process called splicing. Exons, the coding regions, are joined together to form the mature mRNA.
4. Editing: Some pre-mRNAs undergo nucleotide modifications, such as changing specific bases. This editing can result in different protein products being produced from the same gene.

These modifications occur during post-transcriptional processing of RNA. This process is a level of gene regulation that occurs after transcription but before translation.