Tau (particle) Tau (particle) The tau (τ), also called the tau lepton, tau particle, or tauon, is an elementary particle similar to the electron, with negative electric charge and a spin of. Together with the electron, the muon, and the three neutrinos, it is a lepton. Like all elementary particles with half-integer spin, the tau has a corresponding antiparticle of opposite charge but equal mass and spin, which in the tau's case is the antitau (also called the "positive tau"). Tau particles are denoted by and the antitau by . Tau leptons have a lifetime of and a mass of (compared to
Ribonucleoprotein particle Ribonucleoprotein particle A ribonucleoprotein particle or RNP is a complex formed between RNA and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). The term RNP foci can also be used to denote intracellular compartments involved in processing of RNA transcripts. RBPs interact with RNA through binding motifs. Aromatic amino acid residues in this RNA binding motif result in stacking interactions with RNA. Lysine residues in the helical portion of RNA binding proteins help to stabilize interactions with nucleic acids. This nucleic acid binding is a result of the force of attraction between the positive electrical charge of lysine side chains and the negative electrical charge