RNA triphosphatase


In molecular biology, RNA 5'-triphosphatases are phosphatases that cleave the 5'-terminal γ-β phosphoanhydride bond of nascent messenger RNA molecules, enabling the addition of a five-prime cap as part of post-transcriptional modifications. RTPases generate 5'-diphosphate-ended mRNA and a phosphate ion from 5'-triphosphate-ended precursor mRNA. mRNA guanylyltransferase then adds a backwards guanosine monophosphate group from GTP, generating pyrophosphate, and mRNA -methyltransferase methylates the guanine to form the final 5'-cap structure.
There are two families of RTPases known so far: