On Nov. 21, 2024, teams at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center report a new way that mRNA stability can be determined. The researchers found that the process of translating mRNA information into a protein can impact the length of time that an mRNA sticks around, and an amino acid called arginine plays a crucial role. The findings could help researchers develop new treatments for many conditions, such as obesity, cancer, and mitochondrial diseases. The study findings were published in Science.

Using insights from structural biology studies spearheaded by research scientist Victor Cruz, the team also pinpointed the precise architecture required for a tRNA to allow or block CCR4-NOT binding. 

The new regulatory mechanism, called P-site tRNA-mediated mRNA decay (PTMD), is a strong regulator of mitochondria, which are involved in metabolism. Because of this, the findings could someday help researchers develop new therapies for those with obesity. Mitochondria also play an important role in many other diseases, including cancer, that could be impacted by the team’s insights.