Recent research has revealed a new and unexpected way in which cells control gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. It has been discovered that certain mRNA molecules contain hairpin-like structures that form downstream of the coding region, which can influence how the mRNA is processed and ultimately how much of the encoded protein is produced. These structures, known as downstream RNA hairpins, are thought to be involved in orchestrating mRNA maturation and translation initiation, and could represent a novel layer of gene regulation.

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source: Phys.org