Identification and characterization of two novel box HACA snoRNAs from Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Through constructing a specialized cDNA library based on small RNAs isolated from partial purified nuclei of Schizosaccharomyces pombe, two novel noncoding RNAs, termed Sp15-70 and Sp18-61, have been identified. Bioinformatics analysis reveals that both the novel RNAs possess a typical secondary structure of box HACA snoRNA and antisense elements to rRNAs. According to the relationship between the structure and function of box HACA snoRNA, Sp15-70 was predicted to direct pseudouridylation in 25S rRNA at U2401 and U2298; Sp18-61 was predicted to direct pseudouridylation in 18S rRNA at U208 and 25S rRNA at U2341. The four predicted pseudouridylation sites were all verified experimentally by the CMC-primer extension analysis. Both Sp15-70 and Sp18-61 were encoded by single copies which were located in the intergenic regions between the CDS of two protein-coding genes on chromosome Ⅰ and Ⅲ of S. pombe, respectively. Putative TATA-like elements can be found upstream from the 5′ end of these snoRNA genes, suggesting that they could be transcribed from their own promoters. Comparison of the two snoRNAs and their functional homologues in diverse organisms reveals that extensive recombinations among different snoRNAs have occurred during the evolution from their primitive progenitors.     

酵母snoRNA基因簇启动子的比较分析

报道对酿酒酵母ｓｎｏＲＮＡ基因簇启动子序列的研究结果．通过计算机分析,发现酿酒酵母中Ｚ２Ｚ８和ＳｎＲ１９０Ｕ１４ｓｎｏＲＮＡ基因簇有相似的启动子结构．这两个ｓｎｏＲＮＡ基因簇都是由一个上游的启动子负责整个基因簇的转录,产生多个顺反子ｓｎｏＲＮＡ的前体,然后再加工成熟为各个独立的ｓｎｏＲＮＡ．在启动子保守序列ＴＡＴＡｂｏｘ的上游还发现２个ＲＡＰ１序列,表明ｓｎｏＲＮＡ基因簇的表达可以通过ＲＡＰ１元素与核糖体蛋白基因的表达协同调控．这是在ｓｎｏＲＮＡ基因的启动子中首次发现ＲＡＰ１调控元素．对ｓｎｏＲＮＡ基因簇的进化特点也进行了讨论．     

Two closely linked rice U14 boxC/D snoRNAs

By analysis of the conserved elements in yeast U14 boxC/D snoRNA. the conserved elements in rice U14 boxC/D snoRNA have been speculated. Through computer search of the international rice genome database, two rice U14 snoRNA gene candidates are obtained. These two putative U14 snoRNA genes are closely linked on rice chromosome 2. The coding sequences of these two snoR-NAs exhibit the hallmark structure of boxC/D antisense snoRNA. They both have conserved boxC and boxD sequences and a 14nt-long complement to the sequence between 414nt and 427nt of rice 18S rRNA (according to GenBank accession no. X00755). The experimental evidence shows that these two snoRNAs are involved in the methylation of the complementary sequence of rice 18S rRNA. The existence and localization of these two snoRNAs are proved by RT-PCR and Northern blot. Further analysis shows that both of the newly found rice snoRNAs have high homology with maize U14 snoRNA. and they are named rice U14.1 snoRNA and U14.2 snoRNA respectively. The gene sequence encoding these two snoRNAs has been deposited in the GenBank database under accession number of AF332622.     

一种从基因数据库中识别反义snoRNA基因的新方法

报道一种从国际分子生物学数据库中识别反义ｓｎｏＲＮＡ基因的计算机新方法．介绍新方法的生物学原理及在反义ＳｎｏＲＮＡ新基因发现中的应用．     

Identification and functional analysis of 23 novel box C／D snoRNAs from Oryza sativa

In a cDNA library generated from rice small nuclear RNAs,30box C/D small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) were identiffied through preliminary screen.Except 7 known snoRNAs such as U14,all snoRNAs were identified in rice for the first time experimentally.Among the 23 novel snoRNAs,11 snoRNAs appear rice-specific,6 snoRNAs are unique to plants,the remaining 6 snoRNAs have their counterparts in both Arabidopsis and yeast or mammals according to the conserved antisense sequencs that guide 2‘-O-ribose methylation of rRNA,17 of the 23 novel snoRNAs were predicted to guide 24 2‘‘-O-ribose methylations at the specificsites of rice 5.8S,18S,25S rRNAs,among which 19 methylated sites were determined by primer extension at low dNTP concentrations.The remaining 6 snoRNAs devoid of rRNA antisense elements may represent novel snoRNA species in rice.The results show that constructing a cDNA library from small nuclear RNAs is an effective experimental approach for novel snoRNA is identification.The novel snoRNAs are important in elucidating the genomic organization and expression of plant snoRNA genes and the mechanism through which 2‘‘-O-ribose methylations took place in rRNAs.     

Z25, a novel intronic snoRNA encoded in mammalian nucleolin gene

A novel intronic small nucleolar RNA ( snoRNA) , termed Z25, was identified from mammals by-computer analysis and experimental sequence methods. Z25 is a 69 nucleotides long RNA containing typical boxC/D motifs, terminal stem and an 11-nucleotide sequence complementary to 18S rRNA. In theory, Z25 functions as an RNA guide for the 2'-0-ribose methylation of adenine at position 1678 (human 18S rRNA coordinate) in 18S rRNA. Z25 snoRNA gene was found to be located in the fifth intron of nucleolin gene of human, mouse and rat, demonstrating that the mammalian nucleoline gene is a host gene encoding multiple snoRNAs.     

基于表达序列标签的萝卜ACA36基因簇鉴定

利用国际公用的表达序列标签（EST）数据库资源,运用生物信息学分析方法,在萝卜（Raphanus sativus）一条表达序列标签中发现一个新的snoRNA基因簇。此基因簇含有一个box H/ACA snoRNA基因和两个box C/D snoRNA基因,分别命名为RsACA36、RssnoR66和RsSNORD88。ACA36可形成典型的box H/ACA snoRNA双茎环二级结构;snoR66和SNORD88都具有典型的C盒与D盒保守元件,末端存在反向互补序列;三个snoRNA都含有能和核糖体RNA互补配对的反向互补序列。RsACA36和RsSNORD88均为在植物中首次发现。基于EST数据库、运用生物信息学方法鉴定snoRNA基因既保留了计算机RNA组学快捷、高效的优点,又使结果因为有了实验支撑而更直接、可信。     

Z25，哺乳动物核仁蛋白基因编码的一个新的内含子snoRNA

通过计算机分析和实验鉴定,发现了哺乳动物中一种新的内含子snoRNA． Z25．Z25 snoRNA长为69个核苷酸,具有典型的boxC／D结构元件和末端配对区,一 段长为11个核苷酸的序列与18S rRNA互补,其下游紧接boxD’．按照理论计算,Z25 snoRNA具有指导18S rRNA中A1678(按人18S rRNA编号)2’．0．核糖甲基化的功能． Z25基因位于人、小白鼠和大鼠核仁蛋白(Nucleolin)基因第5个内含子中,揭示出哺 乳动物核仁蛋白基因是一种多内含子snoRNA编码的宿主基因．     

粟酒裂殖酵母Z15 snoRNA的鉴定及结构与功能分析

运用计算机及实验的方法,在粟酒裂酵母（Ｓｃｈｉｚｏｓａｃｃｈａｒｏｍｙｃｅｓ ｐｏｍｂｅ）中发现和鉴定了一个新的,结构特殊的ｓｎｏＲＮＡ－Ｚ１５。该ｓｎｏＲＮＡ由一个独立转录的基因编码,位于酵母２号染色体上,Ｚ１５长达９２个核苷酸,属于反义ｓｎｏＲＮＡ家族,它除了具有典型的ｂｏｘＣ／Ｄ结构元素和末端配对区外,还含有分别与酿酒酵母Ｚ１５和Ｚ２相同的两个反义序列,反映了粟酒裂残酵母Ｚ１５ｓｎｏＲＮＡ基