Concept

Two armsGene Expression is a Circular System – The Concept

 

The multistage life of the mRNA is traditionally viewed as a linear process, which begins with its synthesis (transcription), and ends in its demise. This view is oversimplified. We found that the mRNA life is circular as synthesis and degradation are mediated by a single multifactorial mechanism, the “synthegradosome”, which shuttles between the chromatin and the cytoplasm (Haimovich et al., 2013).  Circular processes are prevalent in the cell probably because they are inherently robust, as defects in one stage affect the overall pace of the entire process, thereby maintaining the essential balance between the stages.