Poly(A) tail

A stretch of adenosine-containing residues at an RNA end. Tail length and associated proteins can influence messenger RNA stability and biological translation.

Shortening of an RNA poly(A) tail. For many cytoplasmic messenger RNAs, this contributes to progression toward decay.

A protein complex with functions in RNA regulation, including deadenylation; its recruitment can connect recognition by a silencing effector to RNA-tail shortening.