Three-dimensional localization of poly(A) RNA and splicing components in the nucleus
The physical distribution of active genes has long been a subject of interest and speculation, however technical limitations have necessitated that it be addressed only by indirect approaches with sometimes contradictory results. However, developments in fluorescence in situ hybridization methodologies allow the position of specific genes and RNAs to be visualized directly within intact cells, thus providing a more direct means to study such questions. To address whether compartmentalization occurs during the production and processing of pre-mRNA in mammalian somatic cells we have recently investigated the distribution of nuclear polyadenylated transcripts which represent approximately 90% of all pre-mRNA. We found that poly(A) RNA forms discrete nuclear “transcript domains” which are specifically positioned with respect to the underlying genome and contain snRNP antigens of the pre-mRNA splicing class. Several lines of evidence indicate a close spatial and temporal linkage between transcription and processing of pol II RNAs (reviewed in 5), therefore, it is possible that poly(A) RNA transcript domains reflect a clustering of active genes at these sites.