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.

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.