Editing Messenger RNA (section)

===Prokaryotic mRNA degradation===
[[File:1-s2.0-S1874939913000436-gr1 lrg.jpg|thumb|Overview of mRNA decay pathways in the different life domains.]]
In general, in prokaryotes the lifetime of mRNA is much shorter than in eukaryotes. Prokaryotes degrade messages by using a combination of ribonucleases, including [[endonuclease]]s, 3' [[exonuclease]]s, and 5' exonucleases. In some instances, [[small RNA|small RNA molecules]] (sRNA) tens to hundreds of nucleotides long can stimulate the degradation of specific mRNAs by base-pairing with complementary sequences and facilitating ribonuclease cleavage by [[RNase III]]. It was recently shown that bacteria also have a sort of [[5' cap]] consisting of a triphosphate on the [[5' end]].<ref name=Deana2008>{{cite journal | vauthors = Deana A, Celesnik H, Belasco JG | title = The bacterial enzyme RppH triggers messenger RNA degradation by 5' pyrophosphate removal | journal = Nature | volume = 451 | issue = 7176 | pages = 355–358 | date = January 2008 | pmid = 18202662 | doi = 10.1038/nature06475 | bibcode = 2008Natur.451..355D | s2cid = 4321451 }}</ref> Removal of two of the phosphates leaves a 5' monophosphate, causing the message to be destroyed by the exonuclease RNase J, which degrades 5' to 3'.