Cells use messenger RNA (blue) to ferry copies of genes from the nucleus to ribosomes (purple), where the genes can be translated into proteins. Proteins are the machinery of the cell, and enable the cell to change its behavior. Messenger RNA is also degraded by XRN1 (red).

The Oberdoerffer Lab at the Center for Cancer Research discovered that certain modifications (shown here in green) can make the messenger RNA last longer by avoiding XRN1, and ribosomes can more efficiently assemble the protein it encodes. This means more of that protein is created.

PURPOSE

The illustration was created to highlight an article ("Supercharging mRNA") summarizing an Oberdoerffer Lab publication for other scientists in the Center for Cancer Research's Milestones 2020 publication

EQUIPMENT / TECHNIQUES

Cinema4D, Photoshop