Finding the Exosome -- Structural Components and Architectures of RNA Exosomes -- The Archaeal Exosome -- The Exosomes of Trypanosomes and Other Protists -- The Exosome and 3?–5? RNA Degradation in Plants -- Catalytic Properties of the Eukaryotic Exosome -- Functions of the Cytoplasmic Exosome -- Rrp6, Rrp47 and Cofactors of the Nuclear Exosome -- The Exosome and Heterochromatin -- Control of Cryptic Transcription in Eukaryotes -- The Human Exosome and Disease.

The diversity of RNAs inside living cells is amazing. We have known of the more “classic” RNA species: mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, snRNA and snoRNA for some time now, but in a steady stream new types of molecules are being described as it is becoming clear that most of the genomic information of cells ends up in RNA. To deal with the enormous load of resulting RNA processing and degradation reactions, cells need adequate and efficient molecular machines. The RNA exosome is arising as a major facilitator to this effect. Structural and functional data gathered over the last decade have illustrated the biochemical importance of this multimeric complex and its many co-factors, revealing its enormous regulatory power. By gathering some of the most prominent researchers in the exosome field, it is the aim of the book to introduce this fascinating protein complex and to give a timely and rich account of its many functions.