Pre-mRNA Processing

This monograph describes the formation of functional mRNA from primary gene transcripts (pre-mRNA) in eukaryotic cells. It reviews RNA structure, protein-RNA interactions, and studies of mammalian, yeast and plant cells that have contributed to the current understanding of how mRNA is formed.

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This volume explores the formation of functional mRNA from primary gene transcripts (pre-mRNA) in eukaryotic cells. It concentrates on the major RNA processing reactions that generate spliced and polyadenylated mRNA in the nucleus. The last ten years have seen a tremendous growth in our understanding of the splicing and polyadenylation mechanisms and new processing reactions, such as RNA editing, have been discovered. Individual chapters review RNA structure, protein-RNA interactions and biochemical and genetic studies in mammalian, yeast and plant cells that have contributed to our current picture of how mRNA is formed and transported to the cytoplasm. Other chapters discuss new insights into the mechanisms of viral infection and inherited disease that have emerged from research in the RNA processing field.