title: Mechanism and regulation of the nonsense-mediated decay pathway.
abstract: The Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway selectively degrades mRNAs harboring premature termination codons (PTCs) but also regulates the abundance of a large number of cellular RNAs. The central role of NMD in the control of gene expression requires the existence of buffering mechanisms that tightly regulate the magnitude of this pathway. Here, we will focus on the mechanism of NMD with an emphasis on the role of RNA helicases in the transition from NMD complexes that recognize a PTC to those that promote mRNA decay. We will also review recent strategies aimed at uncovering novel trans-acting factors and their functional role in the NMD pathway. Finally, we will describe recent progress in the study of the physiological role of the NMD response.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK.
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hug
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK.
authors.forename: Dasa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Longman
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK Javier.Caceres@igmm.ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Javier F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Cáceres
mesh_terms: D018389:Codon, Nonsense / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000235:genetics; D059365:Nonsense Mediated mRNA Decay / Q000235:genetics*; D020365:RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics; D020871:RNA Stability / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018389:Codon, Nonsense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020365:RNA Helicases