Edc1

Edc1, or enhancer of decapping 1, is a gene and the encoded protein in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that participates in mRNA decapping and turnover. It acts as a decapping activator, stimulating the Dcp1–Dcp2 complex and promoting decapping of targeted mRNAs. Edc1 functions within a regulatory network of decapping factors that includes other activators such as Edc2 and Edc3, helping recruit and activate the decapping machinery on specific transcripts.

Predominantly cytoplasmic, Edc1 localizes to processing bodies (P-bodies) under conditions that induce mRNA storage or decay. The gene is not essential for viability; deletion of EDC1 reduces decapping efficiency and can extend the half-life of some mRNAs, though cells remain viable under standard growth conditions.

Evolutionarily, EDC1 is conserved in many budding yeasts, with homologous sequences recognized in related fungi, indicating a conserved role in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. In higher eukaryotes, decapping control is achieved by a broader set of activators, and direct orthologs of yeast Edc1 are not universally defined.

Edc1 physically interacts with the core decapping factors Dcp1 and Dcp2, and it is considered part of the network that modulates 5′–3′ mRNA decay. Through its action, Edc1 contributes to dynamic control of mRNA stability in response to cellular conditions and environmental cues.