This study provides visual evidence that all components fit together directly like individual mechanical parts.
When mRNA is no longer needed or defective, it is transported to exosomes with the help of the SKI complex. Exosomes act like molecular shredders, and the SKI complex acts as the hand that carries the mRNA to the shredder.
The lifespan of mRNA is eventually eliminated by degradation, or degradation. For pathways involving exosomes, the study aimed to determine whether individual protein complexes function alone or whether mRNA degradation can be coupled with translation. Previous studies from the Conti group had already shown that the SKI complex and exosomes work closely together by forming a stable complex. Using this knowledge and high-resolution microscopy techniques, Alexander Kegel, Achim Keidel and colleagues discovered that in humans, all three protein complexes come together to form a supercomplex. .
