P-bodies

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also called GW or Dcp bodies, processing bodies are microscopic structures within the eukaryotic cell made up of many proteins and inactive mRNAs. They are a site for three main activities:

  • degrade unwanted mRNAs that lack a 5' cap
  • store mRNA until needed for translation
  • aid in translational repression by miRNAs (related to siRNAs)

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