Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have identified thousands of genetic variants that affect the stability of messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts to regulate gene expression, many of them linked to autoimmune conditions such as lupus or multiple sclerosis. Their findings, published today in Nature Genetics , showcase the importance of an often overlooked mechanism of disease.

“Most research has focused on how mRNA is made. Much less attention has been paid towards how fast it’s degraded, and that’s just as important,” says Xinshu Xiao, PhD, professor of integrative biology and physiology at UCLA and senior author of the study. “This work highlights RNA stability as a critical, yet understudied mechanism linking genetic variation and disease.”

Gene express

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