Q 33. - Biology

Question

Describe how RBPs can prevent miRNAs from degrading an RNA molecule.

           

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

Binding of proteins to the RNA can influence its balance. Proteins called RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) can bind to the areas of the mRNA simply upstream or downstream of the protein-coding area.

                                       

1. RBPs

RNA-binding proteins are proteins that can bind to the regions of the mRNA just upstream or downstream of the protein-coding region.

                                       

2. RBPs role in preventing the degradation of RNA by MiRNAs

The regions in the RNA that are not translated into protein are called the untranslated regions (UTRs). They are not introns (those have been removed in the nucleus). Instead, these are regions that regulate mRNA localization, stability, and protein translation. The region just before the protein-coding region is called the 5' UTR, whereas the region after the coding region is called the 3' UTR . The binding of RBPs to these regions can increase or decrease the stability of an RNA molecule, depending on the specific RBP that binds.