GTP Cap

Definition

A modified guanine nucleotide added to the 5' end of pre-mRNAs during transcription. This cap protects mRNA from degradation and assists in ribosome binding during translation.

Related terms

Guanine:

One of the four main bases found in DNA and RNA. It pairs with cytosine.

Ribosome:

A cell organelle that functions as the site of protein synthesis. It reads the sequence of mRNA and translates it into proteins.

Translation:

The process by which ribosomes use mRNA sequences to assemble amino acids into proteins.