scholarly journals Selection and Characterization of Pre-mRNA Splicing Enhancers: Identification of Novel SR Protein-Specific Enhancer Sequences

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 1705-1719 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas D. Schaal ◽  
Tom Maniatis

ABSTRACT Splicing enhancers are RNA sequences required for accurate splice site recognition and the control of alternative splicing. In this study, we used an in vitro selection procedure to identify and characterize novel RNA sequences capable of functioning as pre-mRNA splicing enhancers. Randomized 18-nucleotide RNA sequences were inserted downstream from a Drosophila doublesex pre-mRNA enhancer-dependent splicing substrate. Functional splicing enhancers were then selected by multiple rounds of in vitro splicing in nuclear extracts, reverse transcription, and selective PCR amplification of the spliced products. Characterization of the selected splicing enhancers revealed a highly heterogeneous population of sequences, but we identified six classes of recurring degenerate sequence motifs five to seven nucleotides in length including novel splicing enhancer sequence motifs. Analysis of selected splicing enhancer elements and other enhancers in S100 complementation assays led to the identification of individual enhancers capable of being activated by specific serine/arginine (SR)-rich splicing factors (SC35, 9G8, and SF2/ASF). In addition, a potent splicing enhancer sequence isolated in the selection specifically binds a 20-kDa SR protein. This enhancer sequence has a high level of sequence homology with a recently identified RNA-protein adduct that can be immunoprecipitated with an SRp20-specific antibody. We conclude that distinct classes of selected enhancers are activated by specific SR proteins, but there is considerable sequence degeneracy within each class. The results presented here, in conjunction with previous studies, reveal a remarkably broad spectrum of RNA sequences capable of binding specific SR proteins and/or functioning as SR-specific splicing enhancers.

1999 ◽  
Vol 19 (11) ◽  
pp. 7347-7356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyril F. Bourgeois ◽  
Michel Popielarz ◽  
Georges Hildwein ◽  
James Stevenin

ABSTRACT The adenovirus E1A pre-mRNA undergoes alternative splicing whose modulation occurs during infection, through the use of three different 5′ splice sites and of one major or one minor 3′ splice site. Although this pre-mRNA has been extensively used as a model to compare the transactivation properties of SR proteins, no cis-acting element has been identified in the transcript sequence. Here we describe the identification and the characterization of a purine-rich splicing enhancer, located just upstream of the 12S 5′ splice site, which is formed from two contiguous 9-nucleotide (nt) purine motifs (Pu1 and Pu2). We demonstrate that this sequence is a bidirectional splicing enhancer (BSE) in vivo and in vitro, because it activates both the downstream 12S 5′ splice site through the Pu1 motif and the upstream 216-nt intervening sequence (IVS) 3′ splice site through both motifs. UV cross-linking and immunoprecipitation experiments indicate that the BSE interacts with several SR proteins specifically, among them 9G8 and ASF/SF2, which bind preferentially to the Pu1 and Pu2 motifs, respectively. Interestingly, we show by in vitro complementation assays that SR proteins have distinct transactivatory properties. In particular, 9G8, but not ASF/SF2 or SC35, is able to strongly activate the recognition of the 12S 5′ splice site in a BSE-dependent manner in wild-type E1A or in a heterologous context, whereas ASF/SF2 or SC35, but not 9G8, activates the upstream 216-nt IVS splicing. Thus, our results identify a novel exonic BSE and the SR proteins which are involved in its differential activity.


2002 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 221-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeremiah Shepard ◽  
Martin Reick ◽  
Sara Olson ◽  
Brenton R. Graveley

ABSTRACT The essential splicing factor U2AF (U2 auxiliary factor) is a heterodimer composed of 65-kDa (U2AF65) and 35-kDa (U2AF35) subunits. U2AF35 has multiple functions in pre-mRNA splicing. First, U2AF35 has been shown to function by directly interacting with the AG at the 3′ splice site. Second, U2AF35 is thought to play a role in the recruitment of U2AF65 by serine-arginine-rich (SR) proteins in enhancer-dependent splicing. It has been proposed that the physical interaction between the arginine-serine-rich (RS) domain of U2AF35 and SR proteins is important for this activity. However, other data suggest that this may not be the case. Here, we report the identification of a mammalian gene that encodes a 26-kDa protein bearing strong sequence similarity to U2AF35, designated U2AF26. The N-terminal 187 amino acids of U2AF35 and U2AF26 are nearly identical. However, the C-terminal domain of U2AF26 lacks many characteristics of the U2AF35 RS domain and, therefore, might be incapable of interacting with SR proteins. We show that U2AF26 can associate with U2AF65 and can functionally substitute for U2AF35 in both constitutive and enhancer-dependent splicing, demonstrating that the RS domain of the small U2AF subunit is not required for splicing enhancer function. Finally, we show that U2AF26 functions by enhancing the binding of U2AF65 to weak 3′ splice sites. These studies identify U2AF26 as a mammalian splicing factor and demonstrate that distinct U2AF complexes can participate in pre-mRNA splicing. Based on its sequence and functional similarity to U2AF35, U2AF26 may play a role in regulating alternative splicing.


1998 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
pp. 737-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huan-You Wang ◽  
Wen Lin ◽  
Jacqueline A. Dyck ◽  
Joanne M. Yeakley ◽  
Zhou Songyang ◽  
...  

Abstract. Reversible phosphorylation plays an important role in pre-mRNA splicing in mammalian cells. Two kinases, SR protein-specific kinase (SRPK1) and Clk/Sty, have been shown to phosphorylate the SR family of splicing factors. We report here the cloning and characterization of SRPK2, which is highly related to SRPK1 in sequence, kinase activity, and substrate specificity. Random peptide selection for preferred phosphorylation sites revealed a stringent preference of SRPK2 for SR dipeptides, and the consensus derived may be used to predict potential phosphorylation sites in candidate arginine and serine-rich (RS) domain–containing proteins. Phosphorylation of an SR protein (ASF/SF2) by either SRPK1 or 2 enhanced its interaction with another RS domain–containing protein (U1 70K), and overexpression of either kinase induced specific redistribution of splicing factors in the nucleus. These observations likely reflect the function of the SRPK family of kinases in spliceosome assembly and in mediating the trafficking of splicing factors in mammalian cells. The biochemical and functional similarities between SRPK1 and 2, however, are in contrast to their differences in expression. SRPK1 is highly expressed in pancreas, whereas SRPK2 is highly expressed in brain, although both are coexpressed in other human tissues and in many experimental cell lines. Interestingly, SRPK2 also contains a proline-rich sequence at its NH2 terminus, and a recent study showed that this NH2-terminal sequence has the capacity to interact with a WW domain protein in vitro. Together, our studies suggest that different SRPK family members may be uniquely regulated and targeted, thereby contributing to splicing regulation in different tissues, during development, or in response to signaling.


1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 2143-2150 ◽  
Author(s):  
L R Coulter ◽  
M A Landree ◽  
T A Cooper

In vitro selection strategies have typically been used to identify a preferred ligand, usually an RNA, for an identified protein. Ideally, one would like to know RNA consensus sequences preferred in vivo for as-yet-unidentified factors. The ability to select RNA-processing signals would be particularly beneficial in the analysis of exon enhancer sequences that function in exon recognition during pre-mRNA splicing. Exon enhancers represent a class of potentially ubiquitous RNA-processing signals whose actual prevalence is unknown. To establish an approach for in vivo selection, we developed an iterative scheme to select for exon sequences that enhance exon inclusion. This approach is modeled on the in vitro SELEX procedure and uses transient transfection in an iterative procedure to enrich RNA-processing signals in cultured vertebrate cells. Two predominant sequence motifs were enriched after three rounds of selection: a purine-rich motif that resembles previously identified splicing enhancers and a class of A/C-rich splicing enhancers (ACEs). Individual selected ACEs enhanced splicing in vivo and in vitro. ACE splicing activity was competed by RNAs containing the purine-rich splicing enhancer from cardiac troponin T exon 5. Thus, ACE activity is likely to require a subset of the SR splicing factors previously shown to mediate activity of this purine-rich enhancer. ACE motifs are found in two vertebrate exons previously demonstrated to contain splicing enhancer activity as well as in the well-characterized Drosophila doublesex (dsx) splicing enhancer. We demonstrate that one copy of the dsx repeat enhances splicing of a vertebrate exon in vertebrate cells and that this enhancer activity requires the ACE motif. We suggest the possibility that the dsx enhancer is a member of a previously unrecognized family of ACEs.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 74-84
Author(s):  
Ahmad Riduan ◽  
Rainiyati Rainiyati ◽  
Yulia Alia

Every plant rhizospheres in any ecosystem there are various living microorganisms including Arbuscular Mycorrhizae Fungi (AMF).  An isolation and characterization is required to investigate the species or type of the AMF. This research was aimed at studying the isolation and characterization of AMF sporulation in soybean rhizospheres in Jambi Province. The results of evaluation on soil samples before trapping showed that there are spores from three genus of AMF twelve types Glomus , two types Acaulospora and one type of Enthrophospora.  Following single spore culture in soybean rhizosphere, 5 spore types were obtained:  Glomus sp-1, Glomus sp-4, Glomus sp-7, Glomus sp-8 Glomus sp-10.


2003 ◽  
Vol 77 (6) ◽  
pp. 3669-3679 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caterina Trozzi ◽  
Linda Bartholomew ◽  
Alessandra Ceccacci ◽  
Gabriella Biasiol ◽  
Laura Pacini ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The hepatitis C virus (HCV) serine protease is necessary for viral replication and represents a valid target for developing new therapies for HCV infection. Potent and selective inhibitors of this enzyme have been identified and shown to inhibit HCV replication in tissue culture. The optimization of these inhibitors for clinical development would greatly benefit from in vitro systems for the identification and the study of resistant variants. We report the use HCV subgenomic replicons to isolate and characterize mutants resistant to a protease inhibitor. Taking advantage of the replicons' ability to transduce resistance to neomycin, we selected replicons with decreased sensitivity to the inhibitor by culturing the host cells in the presence of the inhibitor and neomycin. The selected replicons replicated to the same extent as those in parental cells. Sequence analysis followed by transfection of replicons containing isolated mutations revealed that resistance was mediated by amino acid substitutions in the protease. These results were confirmed by in vitro experiments with mutant enzymes and by modeling the inhibitor in the three-dimensional structure of the protease.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 233-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annamaria Ruscito ◽  
Erin M. McConnell ◽  
Anna Koudrina ◽  
Ranganathan Velu ◽  
Christopher Mattice ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 641-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Matheka ◽  
E. Magiri ◽  
A.O. Rasha ◽  
J. Machuka

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (44) ◽  
pp. 8320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carly J. Carter ◽  
Magda Dolska ◽  
Alina Owczarek ◽  
Christopher J. Ackerson ◽  
Bruce E. Eaton ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (11) ◽  
pp. 5741-5748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis Walton ◽  
Saurja DasGupta ◽  
Daniel Duzdevich ◽  
Seung Soo Oh ◽  
Jack W. Szostak

The hypothesized central role of RNA in the origin of life suggests that RNA propagation predated the advent of complex protein enzymes. A critical step of RNA replication is the template-directed synthesis of a complementary strand. Two experimental approaches have been extensively explored in the pursuit of demonstrating protein-free RNA synthesis: template-directed nonenzymatic RNA polymerization using intrinsically reactive monomers and ribozyme-catalyzed polymerization using more stable substrates such as biological 5′-triphosphates. Despite significant progress in both approaches in recent years, the assembly and copying of functional RNA sequences under prebiotic conditions remains a challenge. Here, we explore an alternative approach to RNA-templated RNA copying that combines ribozyme catalysis with RNA substrates activated with a prebiotically plausible leaving group, 2-aminoimidazole (2AI). We applied in vitro selection to identify ligase ribozymes that catalyze phosphodiester bond formation between a template-bound primer and a phosphor-imidazolide–activated oligomer. Sequencing revealed the progressive enrichment of 10 abundant sequences from a random sequence pool. Ligase activity was detected in all 10 RNA sequences; all required activation of the ligator with 2AI and generated a 3′-5′ phosphodiester bond. We propose that ribozyme catalysis of phosphodiester bond formation using intrinsically reactive RNA substrates, such as imidazolides, could have been an evolutionary step connecting purely nonenzymatic to ribozyme-catalyzed RNA template copying during the origin of life.


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