The evolution of spliced leader trans-splicing in nematodes

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 1125-1130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Pettitt ◽  
Neale Harrison ◽  
Ian Stansfield ◽  
Bernadette Connolly ◽  
Berndt Müller

Spliced leader trans-splicing occurs in many primitive eukaryotes including nematodes. Most of our knowledge of trans-splicing in nematodes stems from the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans and relatives, and from work with Ascaris. Our investigation of spliced leader trans-splicing in distantly related Dorylaimia nematodes indicates that spliced-leader trans-splicing arose before the nematode phylum and suggests that the spliced leader RNA gene complements in extant nematodes have evolved from a common ancestor with a diverse set of spliced leader RNA genes.

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1764-1768
Author(s):  
R F Liou ◽  
T Blumenthal

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has an unusual small nuclear RNA, containing a 100-nucleotide RNA molecule, spliced leader RNA, which donates its 5' 22 nucleotides to a variety of recipient RNAs by a trans-splicing reaction. The spliced leader RNA has a 5' trimethylguanosine (TMG) cap, which becomes the 5' end of trans-spliced mRNAs. We found that mature trans-spliced mRNAs were immunoprecipitable with anti-TMG cap antibodies and that TMG-containing dinucleotides specifically competed with the trans-spliced mRNAs for antibody binding. We also found that these mRNAs retained their TMG caps throughout development and that the TMG-capped mRNAs were polysome associated. Since the large majority of C. elegans mRNAs are not trans-spliced, the addition of the spliced leader and its TMG cap to a limited group of recipient RNAs may create a functionally distinct subset of mRNAs.


2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (17) ◽  
pp. 7795-7805 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philippe Ganot ◽  
Torben Kallesøe ◽  
Richard Reinhardt ◽  
Daniel Chourrout ◽  
Eric M. Thompson

ABSTRACT trans splicing of a spliced-leader RNA (SL RNA) to the 5′ ends of mRNAs has been shown to have a limited and sporadic distribution among eukaryotes. Within metazoans, only nematodes are known to process polycistronic pre-mRNAs, produced from operon units of transcription, into mature monocistronic mRNAs via an SL RNA trans-splicing mechanism. Here we demonstrate that a chordate with a highly compact genome, Oikopleura dioica, now joins Caenorhabditis elegans in coupling trans splicing with processing of polycistronic transcipts. We identified a single SL RNA which associates with Sm proteins and has a trimethyl guanosine cap structure reminiscent of spliceosomal snRNPs. The same SL RNA, estimated to be trans-spliced to at least 25% of O. dioica mRNAs, is used for the processing of both isolated or first cistrons and downstream cistrons in a polycistronic precursor. Remarkably, intercistronic regions in O. dioica are far more reduced than those in either nematodes or kinetoplastids, implying minimal cis-regulatory elements for coupling of 3′-end formation and trans splicing.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1764-1768 ◽  
Author(s):  
R F Liou ◽  
T Blumenthal

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has an unusual small nuclear RNA, containing a 100-nucleotide RNA molecule, spliced leader RNA, which donates its 5' 22 nucleotides to a variety of recipient RNAs by a trans-splicing reaction. The spliced leader RNA has a 5' trimethylguanosine (TMG) cap, which becomes the 5' end of trans-spliced mRNAs. We found that mature trans-spliced mRNAs were immunoprecipitable with anti-TMG cap antibodies and that TMG-containing dinucleotides specifically competed with the trans-spliced mRNAs for antibody binding. We also found that these mRNAs retained their TMG caps throughout development and that the TMG-capped mRNAs were polysome associated. Since the large majority of C. elegans mRNAs are not trans-spliced, the addition of the spliced leader and its TMG cap to a limited group of recipient RNAs may create a functionally distinct subset of mRNAs.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1769-1772
Author(s):  
K Van Doren ◽  
D Hirsh

Approximately 10% of the mRNAs in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans mature through a trans-splicing mechanism that involves the transfer of a 22-nucleotide spliced leader to the 5' end of the pre-mRNA. The spliced leader RNA exists as a small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle and has the trimethylguanosine cap that is characteristic of eucaryotic small nuclear RNAs. We found that the trimethylguanosine cap present on the spliced leader RNA was transferred to the pre-mRNA during the trans-splicing reaction. Thereafter, the trimethylguanosine cap was maintained on the mature mRNA. This is the first example of eucaryotic cellular mRNAs possessing a trimethylguanosine cap structure.


1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 1769-1772 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Van Doren ◽  
D Hirsh

Approximately 10% of the mRNAs in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans mature through a trans-splicing mechanism that involves the transfer of a 22-nucleotide spliced leader to the 5' end of the pre-mRNA. The spliced leader RNA exists as a small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle and has the trimethylguanosine cap that is characteristic of eucaryotic small nuclear RNAs. We found that the trimethylguanosine cap present on the spliced leader RNA was transferred to the pre-mRNA during the trans-splicing reaction. Thereafter, the trimethylguanosine cap was maintained on the mature mRNA. This is the first example of eucaryotic cellular mRNAs possessing a trimethylguanosine cap structure.


1990 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 3667-3673 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. A. Maroney ◽  
G. J. Hannon ◽  
J. A. Denker ◽  
T. W. Nilsen

2009 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 1757-1771 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Zhang ◽  
D. A. Campbell ◽  
N. R. Sturm ◽  
S. Lin

2007 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 4618-4623 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Zhang ◽  
Y. Hou ◽  
L. Miranda ◽  
D. A. Campbell ◽  
N. R. Sturm ◽  
...  

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