What stops messenger RNA from binding to itself?

Question

Since mRNA is single-stranded, and (mostly) floats freely within the cytosol, what stops it from folding onto itself (like DNA) and preventing transcription?

Answer 1

mRNA has elements of secondary structure that actually allow for intra-mRNA binding, so mRNA can fold on itself. Some of these secondary structures are important for regulation of how the mRNA is translated, or it may stop translation entirely via occlusion of the ribosome binding site, for example. Also, recent literature has stated that mRNA is rarely unbound in the cytosol, instead existing as a complex under physiological conditions with proteins or other RNA molecule types.