Vasopressin mRNA in the Suprachiasmatic Nuclei: Daily Regulation of Polyadenylate Tail Length

Daily variation has been found in the length of the polyadenylate tail attached to vasopressin messenger RNA in the suprachiasmatic nuclei, which is the location of an endogenous circadian pacemaker in mammals. No such variation was found in the supraoptic or paraventricular nuclei. This variation in the length of the polyadenylate tail may underlie the circadian rhythm of vasopressin peptide levels in cerebrospinal fluid and is a unique example of a daily rhythm in messenger RNA structure.