Gene expression is regulated through multiple steps at both transcriptional and post-
transcriptional levels. The net abundance of mature mRNA species in cells is determined by
the balance between transcription and degradation. Thus, the regulation of mRNA stability is
a key post-transcriptional event that can greatly affect the net level of mRNAs in cells. The
mRNA stability within cells can be measured indirectly by analyzing the mRNA half-life
following transcription inhibition, where changes in mRNA levels are assumed to reflect …