Hairpins in RNA are typically followed by which string of nucleotides?

Hairpins in RNA are a common secondary structural motif, formed when a single strand of RNA folds back on itself to create a double-stranded region followed by a loop. This structure is stabilized by base pairing within the double-stranded region, while the loop contains unpaired nucleotides at the top of the hairpin.

The formation of hairpins often involves complementary base pairing. In RNA, the base uracil (U) is known to pair with adenine (A) when forming double-stranded regions. However, the question specifically refers to the sequence of nucleotides that commonly follows hairpin structures. In many biological contexts, such as in the termination of transcription and in certain RNA processing events, hairpins are frequently followed by several uracil residues. This can serve as a recognition signal in molecular processes, including the termination of transcription in prokaryotes.

Therefore, the answer involves recognizing that hairpins are typically followed by uracil in various RNA sequences, particularly in regulatory and structural contexts. This distinct pairing and recognition play important roles in RNA function and stability, further validating the presence of uracil in these structural motifs.