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Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay: from vacuum cleaner to Swiss army knife

Gabriele Neu-Yilik1,2*, Niels H Gehring1,2, Matthias W Hentze2,3 and Andreas E Kulozik1,2

Author Affiliations

1 Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 150, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany

2 Molecular Medicine Partnership Unit, EMBL/University of Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 156, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany

3 EMBL Heidelberg, Gene Expression Programme, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany

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Genome Biology 2004, 5:218 doi:

Published: 30 March 2004

Abstract

Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) downmodulates mRNAs that have in-frame premature termination codons and prevents translation of potentially harmful truncated proteins from aberrant mRNAs. Two new approaches have identified physiological NMD substrates, and suggest that NMD functions as a multipurpose tool in the modulation of gene expression.