The role of 3′ end uridylation in RNA metabolism and cellular physiology

Abstract

Most eukaryotic RNAs are posttranscriptionally modified. The majority of modifications promote RNA maturation, others may regulate function and stability. The 3′ terminal non-templated oligouridylation is a widespread modification affecting many cellular RNAs at some stage of their life cycle. It has diverse roles in RNA metabolism. The most prevalent is the regulation of stability and quality control. On the cellular and organismal level, it plays a critical role in a number of pathways, such as cell cycle regulation, cell death, development or viral infection. Defects in uridylation have been linked to several diseases. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the role of the 3′ terminal oligo(U)-tailing in biology of various RNAs in eukaryotes and describes key factors involved in these pathways. This article is part of the theme issue ‘5′ and 3′ modifications controlling RNA degradation’.