In: Biology
Please summarize the function of RNA polymerase II carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) in RNA processing for proper mRNA function
Ans) The CTD plays a main role in the eukaryotic transcription.
The phosphorylation of CTD of largest subunit of RNA polymerase II is the last step for the formation of pre-initiation complex and only after the phosphorylation of CTD, the RNA polymerase II will leave the initiation complex and begin to synthesize RNA.CTD consists of 7 sequence of amino acids Tyr-ser-pro-thr-ser-pro-ser which are repeated 52 times in humans and this repeat has serine residues which are phosphorylated.
Phosphorylation of Ser-5 at CTD is essential for the recruitment of capping factors, Phosphorylation of Ser-2 is essential for the recruitment of splicing factors.
The capping ezyme is associated with the CTD of RNA polymerase II.
So yes the CTD plays a crucial role in mRNA processing too as we have seen above.If the mRNA is not processed properly then the mRNA is retained in the nucleus and not exported to the cytoplasm for the protein synthesis or translation to occur.