Mixed mRNA Tails Less Easily Docked

For mRNA molecules, degradation is inevitable, but it may be delayed. One way to extend the lives of mRNA molecules is to give them longer protective tails, which give degradative enzymes something to chew on before they bite into anything vital. The tails can also be made less digestible by ensuring that they are mixed, that is, composed of different nucleotides, not just adenosines (A’s).Although it had been known for several years that some mRNA tails are mixed, the protection afforded