scholarly journals Interactions between highly conserved U2 small nuclear RNA structures and Prp5p, Prp9p, Prp11p, and Prp21p proteins are required to ensure integrity of the U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 6337-6349 ◽  
Author(s):  
S E Wells ◽  
M Ares
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Lethality ◽  
Small Nuclear Rna ◽  
Rna Structures ◽  
Stem Loop ◽  
U2 Snrna ◽  
Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein ◽  
U2 Snrnp ◽  
Nuclear Rna ◽  
Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein

Binding of U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) to the pre-mRNA is an early and important step in spliceosome assembly. We searched for evidence of cooperative function between yeast U2 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) and several genetically identified splicing (Prp) proteins required for the first chemical step of splicing, using the phenotype of synthetic lethality. We constructed yeast strains with pairwise combinations of 28 different U2 alleles with 10 prp mutations and found lethal double-mutant combinations with prp5, -9, -11, and -21 but not with prp3, -4, -8, or -19. Many U2 mutations in highly conserved or invariant RNA structures show no phenotype in a wild-type PRP background but render mutant prp strains inviable, suggesting that the conserved but dispensable U2 elements are essential for efficient cooperative function with specific Prp proteins. Mutant U2 snRNA fails to accumulate in synthetic lethal strains, demonstrating that interaction between U2 RNA and these four Prp proteins contributes to U2 snRNP assembly or stability. Three of the proteins (Prp9p, Prp11p, and Prp21p) are associated with each other and pre-mRNA in U2-dependent splicing complexes in vitro and bind specifically to synthetic U2 snRNA added to crude splicing extracts depleted of endogenous U2 snRNPs. Taken together, the results suggest that Prp9p, -11p, and -21p are U2 snRNP proteins that interact with a structured region including U2 stem loop IIa and mediate the association of the U2 snRNP with pre-mRNA.

Interactions between highly conserved U2 small nuclear RNA structures and Prp5p, Prp9p, Prp11p, and Prp21p proteins are required to ensure integrity of the U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 6337-6349
Author(s):  
S E Wells ◽  
M Ares
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Lethality ◽  
Small Nuclear Rna ◽  
Rna Structures ◽  
Stem Loop ◽  
U2 Snrna ◽  
Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein ◽  
U2 Snrnp ◽  
Nuclear Rna ◽  
Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein

Binding of U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) to the pre-mRNA is an early and important step in spliceosome assembly. We searched for evidence of cooperative function between yeast U2 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) and several genetically identified splicing (Prp) proteins required for the first chemical step of splicing, using the phenotype of synthetic lethality. We constructed yeast strains with pairwise combinations of 28 different U2 alleles with 10 prp mutations and found lethal double-mutant combinations with prp5, -9, -11, and -21 but not with prp3, -4, -8, or -19. Many U2 mutations in highly conserved or invariant RNA structures show no phenotype in a wild-type PRP background but render mutant prp strains inviable, suggesting that the conserved but dispensable U2 elements are essential for efficient cooperative function with specific Prp proteins. Mutant U2 snRNA fails to accumulate in synthetic lethal strains, demonstrating that interaction between U2 RNA and these four Prp proteins contributes to U2 snRNP assembly or stability. Three of the proteins (Prp9p, Prp11p, and Prp21p) are associated with each other and pre-mRNA in U2-dependent splicing complexes in vitro and bind specifically to synthetic U2 snRNA added to crude splicing extracts depleted of endogenous U2 snRNPs. Taken together, the results suggest that Prp9p, -11p, and -21p are U2 snRNP proteins that interact with a structured region including U2 stem loop IIa and mediate the association of the U2 snRNP with pre-mRNA.

Model of the interaction between the UI A small nuclear ribonucleoprotein and UI small nuclear RNA stem/loop II

1993 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 605-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. R. Evans ◽  
C. Oubridge ◽  
T.-H. Jessen ◽  
J. Li ◽  
C. H. Teo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Nuclear Rna ◽  
Stem Loop ◽  
Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein ◽  
Nuclear Rna ◽  
Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein

scholarly journals Combined Biochemical and Electron Microscopic Analyses Reveal the Architecture of the Mammalian U2 snRNP

1999 ◽  
Vol 145 (7) ◽  
pp. 1355-1368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Krämer ◽  
Patric Grüter ◽  
Karsten Gröning ◽  
Berthold Kastner
Keyword(s):  
Active Form ◽  
Splicing Factors ◽  
Small Nuclear Rna ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein ◽  
Nuclear Extracts ◽  
U2 Snrnp ◽  
Nuclear Rna ◽  
Characteristic Features ◽  
Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein

The 17S U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle (snRNP) represents the active form of U2 snRNP that binds to the pre-mRNA during spliceosome assembly. This particle forms by sequential interactions of splicing factors SF3b and SF3a with the 12S U2 snRNP. We have purified SF3b and the 15S U2 snRNP, an intermediate in the assembly pathway, from HeLa cell nuclear extracts and show that SF3b consists of four subunits of 49, 130, 145, and 155 kD. Biochemical analysis indicates that both SF3b and the 12S U2 snRNP are required for the incorporation of SF3a into the 17S U2 snRNP. Nuclease protection studies demonstrate interactions of SF3b with the 5′ half of U2 small nuclear RNA, whereas SF3a associates with the 3′ portion of the U2 snRNP and possibly also interacts with SF3b. Electron microscopy of the 15S U2 snRNP shows that it consists of two domains in which the characteristic features of isolated SF3b and the 12S U2 snRNP are conserved. Comparison to the two-domain structure of the 17S U2 snRNP corroborates the biochemical results in that binding of SF3a contributes to an increase in size of the 12S U2 domain and possibly induces a structural change in the SF3b domain.

scholarly journals Conserved Loop I of U5 Small Nuclear RNA Is Dispensable for Both Catalytic Steps of Pre-mRNA Splicing in HeLa Nuclear Extracts

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 2782-2790 ◽  
Author(s):  
Véronique Ségault ◽  
Cindy L. Will ◽  
Maria Polycarpou-Schwarz ◽  
Iain W. Mattaj ◽  
Christiane Branlant ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mrna Splicing ◽  
Small Nuclear Rna ◽  
Internal Loop ◽  
Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein ◽  
Nuclear Extracts ◽  
Nuclear Rna ◽  
Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein ◽  
U5 Snrna ◽  
Loop 2

ABSTRACT The function of conserved regions of the metazoan U5 snRNA was investigated by reconstituting U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs) from purified snRNP proteins and HeLa orXenopus U5 snRNA mutants and testing their ability to restore splicing to U5-depleted nuclear extracts. Substitution of conserved nucleotides comprising internal loop 2 or deletion of internal loop 1 had no significant effect on the ability of reconstituted U5 snRNPs to complement splicing. However, deletion of internal loop 2 abolished U5 activity in splicing and spliceosome formation. Surprisingly, substitution of the invariant loop 1 nucleotides with a GAGA tetraloop had no effect on U5 activity. Furthermore, U5 snRNPs reconstituted from an RNA formed by annealing the 5′ and 3′ halves of the U5 snRNA, which lacked all loop 1 nucleotides, complemented both steps of splicing. Thus, in contrast to yeast, loop 1 of the human U5 snRNA is dispensable for both steps of splicing in HeLa nuclear extracts. This suggests that its function can be compensated for in vitro by other spliceosomal components: for example, by proteins associated with the U5 snRNP. Consistent with this idea, immunoprecipitation studies indicated that several functionally important U5 proteins associate stably with U5 snRNPs containing a GAGA loop 1 substitution.

Differential block of U small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle interactions during in vitro splicing of adenovirus E1A transcripts containing abnormally short introns

1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 1258-1269
Author(s):  
M Himmelspach ◽  
R Gattoni ◽  
C Gerst ◽  
K Chebli ◽  
J Stévenin
Keyword(s):  
Donor Site ◽  
Ribonucleoprotein Particle ◽  
Adenovirus E1a ◽  
Branch Site ◽  
Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein ◽  
U2 Snrnp ◽  
U1 Snrnp ◽  
The Common ◽  
Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein

We have studied the consequences of decreasing the donor site-branch site distance on splicing factor-splice site interactions by analyzing alternative splicing of adenovirus E1A pre-mRNAs in vitro. We show that the proximal 13S donor site has a cis-inhibiting effect on the 9S and 12S mRNA reactions when it is brought too close to the common branch site, suggesting that the factor interactions in the common 3' part of the intron are impaired by the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle (snRNP) binding to the displaced 13S donor site. Further analysis of the interactions was carried out by studying complex assembly and the accessibility to micrococcal nuclease digestion of 5'-truncated E1A substrates containing only splice sites for the 13S mRNA reaction. A deletion which brings the donor site- branch site distance to 49 nucleotides, which is just below the minimal functional distance, results in a complete block of the U4-U5-U6 snRNP binding, whereas a deletion 15 nucleotides larger results in a severe inhibition of the formation of the U2 snRNP-containing complexes. Sequence accessibility analyses performed by using the last mini-intron-containing transcript demonstrate that the interactions of U2 snRNP with the branch site are strongly impaired whereas the initial bindings of U1 snRNP to the donor site and of specific factors to the 3' splice site are not significantly modified. Our results strongly suggest that the interaction of U1 snRNP with the donor site of a mini-intron is stable enough in vitro to affect the succession of events leading to U2 snRNP binding with the branch site.

scholarly journals Capping of mammalian U6 small nuclear RNA in vitro is directed by a conserved stem-loop and AUAUAC sequence: conversion of a noncapped RNA into a capped RNA.

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 939-946 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Singh ◽  
S Gupta ◽  
R Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Cell Extract ◽  
Small Nuclear Rna ◽  
Stem Loop ◽  
Rna Sequence ◽  
U6 Snrna ◽  
Stem Loop Structure ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Nuclear Rna ◽  
Tightly Coupled

The cap structure of U6 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) is gamma-monomethyl phosphate and is distinct from other known RNA cap structures (R. Singh and R. Reddy, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 86:8280-8283, 1989). Here we show that the information for capping the U6 snRNA in vitro is within the initial 25 nucleotides of the U6 RNA. The capping determinant in mammalian U6 snRNA is a bipartite element--a phylogenetically conserved stem-loop structure and an AUAUAC sequence, or a part thereof, following this stem-loop. Wild-type capping efficiency was obtained when the AUAUAC motif immediately followed the stem-loop and when the gamma-phosphate of the initiation nucleotide was in close proximity to the capping determinant. Incorporation of a synthetic stem-loop followed by an AUAUAC sequence is sufficient to covert a noncapped heterologous transcript into a capped transcript. Transcripts with the initial 32 nucleotides of Saccharomyces cerevisiae U6 snRNA are accurately capped in HeLa cell extract, indicating that capping machinery from HeLa cells can cap U6 snRNA from an evolutionarily distant eucaryote. The U6-snRNA-specific capping is unusual in that it is RNA sequence dependent, while the capping of mRNAs and other U snRNAs is tightly coupled to transcription and is independent of the RNA sequence.

scholarly journals U2 small nuclear RNA 3' end formation is directed by a critical internal structure distinct from the processing site.

1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1119-1129 ◽  
Author(s):  
M R Jacobson ◽  
M Rhoadhouse ◽  
T Pederson
Keyword(s):  
Rna Processing ◽  
Minor Effect ◽  
Small Nuclear Rna ◽  
Recognition Sequence ◽  
Stem Loop ◽  
Branch Site ◽  
Nuclear Rna ◽  
A Minor ◽  
Site Recognition

Mature U2 small nuclear RNA is generated by the removal of 11 to 12 nucleotides from the 3' end of the primary transcript. This pre-U2 RNA processing reaction takes place in the cytoplasm. In this study, the sequences and/or structures of pre-U2 RNA that are important for 3' processing have been examined in an in vitro system. The 7-methylguanosine cap, stem-loops I and II, the lariat branch site recognition sequence, the conserved Sm domain, and several other regions throughout the 5' end of U2 RNA have no apparent role in the 3' processing reaction. In fact, deletion of the entire first 104 nucleotides resulted in mini-pre-U2 RNAs which were efficiently processed. Similarly, deletion of the top two-thirds of stem-loop III or mutation of nucleotides in the loop of stem-loop IV had little effect on 3' processing. Most surprisingly, the precursor's 11- to 12-nucleotide 3' extension itself was of relatively little importance, since this sequence could be replaced with completely different sequences with only a minor effect on the 3' processing reaction. In contrast, we have defined a critical structure consisting of the bottom of stem III and the stem of stem-loop IV that is essential for 3' processing of pre-U2 RNA. Compensatory mutations which restore base pairing in this region resulted in normal 3' processing. Thus, although the U2 RNA processing activity recognizes the bottom of stem III and stem IV, the sequence of this critical region is much less important than its structure. These results, together with the surprising observation that the reaction is relatively indifferent to the sequence of the 11- to 12-nucleotide 3' extension itself, point to a 3' processing reaction of pre-U2 RNA that has sequence and structure requirements significantly different from those previously identified for pre-mRNA 3' processing.

Secondary structure of U6 small nuclear RNA: implications for spliceosome assembly

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 1099-1104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Dunn ◽  
Stephen D. Rader
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Structure ◽  
Small Nuclear Rna ◽  
Stem Loop ◽  
New Model ◽  
Rna Molecules ◽  
U6 Snrna ◽  
Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein ◽  
Nuclear Rna ◽  
High Level ◽  
And Function

U6 snRNA (small nuclear RNA), one of five RNA molecules that are required for the essential process of pre-mRNA splicing, is notable for its high level of sequence conservation and the important role it is thought to play in the splicing reaction. Nevertheless, the secondary structure of U6 in the free snRNP (small nuclear ribonucleoprotein) form has remained elusive, with predictions changing substantially over the years. In the present review we discuss the evidence for existing models and critically evaluate a fundamental assumption of these models, namely whether the important 3′ ISL (3′ internal stem–loop) is present in the free U6 particle, as well as in the active splicing complex. We compare existing models of free U6 with a newly proposed model lacking the 3′ ISL and evaluate the implications of the new model for the structure and function of U6's base-pairing partner U4 snRNA. Intriguingly, the new model predicts a role for U4 that was unanticipated previously, namely as an activator of U6 for assembly into the splicing machinery.

scholarly journals U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein studied by in vitro assembly.

1983 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 1751-1755 ◽  
Author(s):  
E D Wieben ◽  
S J Madore ◽  
T Pederson
Keyword(s):  
Direct Analysis ◽  
Small Nuclear Rna ◽  
In Vitro System ◽  
Small Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein ◽  
Nuclear Extracts ◽  
U1 Snrnp ◽  
Nuclear Rna ◽  
Specific Complex ◽  
Reticulocyte Lysate

The small nuclear RNAs are known to be complexed with proteins in the cell (snRNP). To learn more about these proteins, we developed an in vitro system for studying their interactions with individual small nuclear RNA species. Translation of HeLa cell poly(A)+ mRNA in an exogenous message-dependent reticulocyte lysate results in the synthesis of snRNP proteins. Addition of human small nuclear RNA U1 to the translation products leads to the formation of a U1 RNA-protein complex that is recognized by a human autoimmune antibody specific for U1 snRNP. This antibody does not react with free U1 RNA. Moreover, addition of a 10- to 20-fold molar excess of transfer RNA instead of U1 RNA does not lead to the formation of an antibody-recognized RNP. The proteins forming the specific complex with U1 RNA correspond to the A, B1, and B2 species (32,000, 27,000, and 26,000 mol wt, respectively) observed in previous studies with U1 snRNP obtained by antibody-precipitation of nuclear extracts. The availability of this in vitro system now permits, for the first time, direct analysis of snRNA-protein binding interactions and, in addition, provides useful information on the mRNAs for snRNP proteins.

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