Open AccessMessemger RNA stability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: the influence of transaltion and poly (A) tail length
Author(s) -
T.C. Santiago,
A. J. E. Bettany,
Ian J. Purvis,
Alistair J. P. Brown
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
nucleic acids research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 9.008
H-Index - 537
eISSN - 1362-4954
pISSN - 0305-1048
DOI - 10.1093/nar/15.6.2417
Subject(s) - biology , saccharomyces cerevisiae , rna , genetics , yeast , gene
A comparison between the half-lives of 10 specific yeast mRNAs and their distribution within polysomes (fractionated on sucrose density gradients) was used to test the relationship between mRNA translation and degradation in the eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Although the mRNAs vary in their distribution across the same polysome gradients, there is no obvious correlation between the stability of an mRNA and the number of ribosomes it carries in vivo. This suggests that ribosomal protection against nucleolytic attack is not a major factor in determining the stability of an mRNA in yeast. The relative lengths of the poly(A) tails of 9 yeast mRNAs were analysed using thermal elution from poly(U)-Sepharose. No dramatic differences in poly(A) tail length were observed amongst the mRNAs which could account for their wide ranging half-lives. Minor differences were consistent with shortening of the poly(A) tail as an mRNA ages.