Polyadenylate Polymerase
Definition
An enzyme that adds adenine residues to the 3' end of pre-mRNA molecules forming the poly-A tail.
Analogy
Consider polyadenylate polymerase as an artist adding final touches to their masterpiece. Just like an artist uses paintbrushes or pencils to add details, this enzyme adds adenines to finalize mRNA before it's ready for translation.
Related terms
Enzyme: Proteins that act as biological catalysts, speeding up chemical reactions within cells without being consumed by those reactions.
Transcription: The process by which genetic information encoded in DNA is copied onto messenger RNA (mRNA).
Pre-mRNA: The first form of mRNA produced by transcription before undergoing processing.
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