Poly-A Tail
Definition
The Poly-A tail is a string of adenine nucleotides added to the 3' end of a pre-mRNA molecule during RNA processing.
Analogy
Think of the Poly-A tail as the knot at the end of a balloon. It helps keep everything inside (the mRNA) from escaping and getting lost in translation, just like how a knot keeps air inside a balloon.
Related terms
Adenine: One of the four main bases found in DNA and RNA. It pairs with thymine in DNA and uracil in RNA.
mRNA (Messenger RNA): A type of RNA that carries genetic information from DNA to ribosomes where it specifies the amino acid sequence for protein synthesis.
RNA Processing: The modifications that a primary RNA transcript undergoes to become mature mRNA. These processes include splicing, 5' capping, and addition of a poly-A tail.
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