The La protein
Ubiquitous in eukaryotic cells, the La protein associates with the 3′ termini of many newly synthesized small RNAs. RNAs bound by the La protein include all nascent transcripts made by RNA polymerase III as well as certain small RNAs synthesized by other RNA polymerases. Recent genetic and biochemical analyses have revealed that binding by the La protein protects the 3′ ends of these RNAs from exo