Question

List the changes that the primary transcript undergoes to become functional mRNA.

Answer 1

1. Before it becomes functional, it goes through a process known as maturation or processing.
2. Splicing, capping, and tailing occur during processing of the original transcript.
3. Splicing is the process of removing introns from the primary transcript.
4. Capping, also known as methylation, is the addition of methyl guanosine triphosphate to the 5' end of the main transcript. It is also known as methylation.
5. A few adenine residues are added to the 3' end of the main transcript during tailing. It is also known as polyadenylation.
6. As a result of the processing, the primary transcript is transformed into a fully functional mRNA that is ready for translation.
7. Eukaryotes are the only organisms that process hnRNA.