A team of researchers led by Rémy MERRET has identified a new 5’-3’ exoribonuclease, named DXO1, as a key player in co-translational mRNA decay, a conserved mechanism essential for plant development and stress responses.
In Arabidopsis thaliana, the primary enzyme responsible for co-translational mRNA decay is the 5’-3’ exoribonuclease XRN4. However, the researchers discovered that DXO1, also participates in this pathway, likely by targeting NAD+-capped mRNAs, which are involved in stress response regulation.
This study, published in BMC Plant Biology, was conducted in collaboration with scientists from LGDP (UMR 5096 CNRS/UPVD, Perpignan) and was supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR MATILDA, led by Rémy Merret).
