New components of the spliced leader RNP required for nematode trans-splicing

Pre-messenger-RNA maturation in nematodes and in several other lower eukaryotic phyla involves spliced leader (SL) addition trans-splicing. In this unusual RNA processing reaction, a short common 5' exon, the SL, is affixed to the 5'-most exon of multiple pre-mRNAs. The nematode SL is derived from a trans-splicing-specific approximately 100-nucleotide RNA (SL RNA) that bears striking similarities to the cis-spliceosomal U small nuclear RNAs U1, U2, U4 and U5 (refs 3, 4); for example, the SL RNA functions only if it is assembled into an Sm small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP). Here we have purified and characterized the SL RNP and show that it contains two proteins (relative molecular masses 175,000 and 30,000 (M(r) 175K and 30K)) in addition to core Sm proteins. Immunodepletion and reconstitution with recombinant proteins demonstrates that both proteins are essential for SL trans-splicing; however, neither protein is required either for conventional cis-splicing or for bimolecular (trans-) splicing of fragmented cis constructs. The M(r) 175K and 30K SL RNP proteins are the first factors identified that are involved uniquely in SL trans-splicing. Several lines of evidence indicate that the SL RNP proteins function by participating in a trans-splicing specific network of protein protein interactions analogous to the U1 snRNP SF1/BBP U2AF complex that comprises the cross-intron bridge in cis-splicing.     

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.     

Isolation of an active step I spliceosome and composition of its RNP core

Formation of catalytically active RNA structures within the spliceosome requires the assistance of proteins. However, little is known about the number and nature of proteins needed to establish and maintain the spliceosome's active site. Here we affinity-purified human spliceosomal C complexes and show that they catalyse exon ligation in the absence of added factors. Comparisons of the composition of the precatalytic versus the catalytic spliceosome revealed a marked exchange of proteins during the transition from the B to the C complex, with apparent stabilization of Prp19-CDC5 complex proteins and destabilization of SF3a/b proteins. Disruption of purified C complexes led to the isolation of a salt-stable ribonucleoprotein (RNP) core that contained both splicing intermediates and U2, U5 and U6 small nuclear RNA plus predominantly U5 and human Prp19-CDC5 proteins and Prp19-related factors. Our data provide insights into the spliceosome's catalytic RNP domain and indicate a central role for the aforementioned proteins in sustaining its catalytically active structure.     

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.     

Crystal structure of the RNA-binding domain of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein A

The crystal structure of the RNA binding domain of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein A, which forms part of the ribonucleoprotein complex involved in the excision of introns, has been solved. It contains a four-stranded beta sheet and two alpha helices. The highly conserved segments designated RNP1 and RNP2 lie side by side on the middle two beta strands. U1 RNA binding studies of mutant proteins suggest that the RNA binds to the four-stranded beta sheet and to the flexible loops on one end.     

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.     

Identification and characterization of two novel box H/ACA snoRNAs from Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Ineukaryotes,alargenumberofsmallnucleolar RNAs(snoRNAs)accumulatedwithinthenucleolus playimportantrolesinprecursorribosomalRNA(pre RNA)processingandmaturation[1].AllsnoR NAs,withtheexceptionofRNaseMRP,canbe broadlydividedintotwoexpendinggroups,boxC/D andH/ACAsnoRNAs,basedonconservedsequence elements[2].BoxC/DsnoRNAscontaintwocon servedshortsequencemotifs,boxC(UGAUGA)and boxD(CUGA),locatedonlyafewnucleotidesaway fromthe5′and3′ends,respectively,generallyas partofatypical5′3…     

1A6/DRIM,the human UTP20 functions in 28S and 5.8S rRNA processing

1A6/DRIM has been identified as UTP20, a small subunit processome component, functioning in 18S rRNA processing. In the present study, the maturation of 28S rRNA and 5.8S rRNA was inhibited when 1A6/DRIM was silenced in HeLa cells; and coin-cidently, an accumulation of 32S rRNA precursor was observed. Immunoprecipitation was performed with the anti-1A6/DRIM antibody, followed by Northern blot with the ITS2 probe. The results showed that 1A6/DRIM was associated with both 32S and 12S rRNA precursors in vivo. The expression profile of 1A6/DRIM during rRNA processing was investigated by sucrose density gradient fractionation in combination with Western blot analysis. The results demonstrated that 1A6/DRIM was involved in the pre-60S particles in addition to the pre-40S particles and co-sediment with the 32S and 12S rRNA precursors in the nucleolus. Furthermore, the interaction of U8 snoRNA with 1A6/DRIM was revealed by immunoprecipitation. These results demonstrated that 1A6/DRIM interacted with both 32S rRNA and U8 snoRNA, being involved in 28S rRNA and 5.8S rRNA processing.     

Z3, a novel antisense snoRNA fromSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) is one of the most important elements participating in eukaryotic ribosomal biogenesis. The present report describes the results of the identification of a novel snoRNA, Z3, from yeast S. cerevisiae. Z3 snoRNA is 106 nts in length. It contains box C, D elements and a 13 nt complementarity to 25S rRNA. This antisense segment, together with the downstream box D, guides a 2′-O-ribose methylation of cytidine acid at position 2956th in yeast 25 S rRNA. Z3 snoRNA, encoded by an independent transcribed gene on the chromosome  of yeast, possesses the same functional elements responsible for the rRNA methylation site as that of the intron-encoded U35 snoRNA of vertebrate.     

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．     

Arrangement of RNA and proteins in the spliceosomal U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle

In eukaryotic cells, freshly synthesized messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) contains stretches of non-coding RNA that must be excised before the RNA can be translated into protein. Their removal is catalysed by the spliceosome, a large complex formed when a number of small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs) bind sequentially to the pre-mRNA. The first snRNP to bind is called U1; other snRNPs (U2, U4/U6 and U5) follow. Here we describe the three-dimensional structure of human U1 snRNP, determined by single-particle electron cryomicroscopy at 10 A resolution. The reconstruction reveals a doughnut-shaped central element that accommodates the seven Sm proteins common to all snRNPs, supporting a proposed model of circular Sm protein arrangement. By taking earlier biochemical results into account, we were able to assign the remaining density of the map to the other known components of U1 snRNP, deriving a structural model that describes the three-dimensional arrangement of proteins and RNA in U1 snRNP.     

Spliceosomal RNA U6 is remarkably conserved from yeast to mammals

The small nuclear RNA U6 and its gene have been isolated from yeast. In striking contrast to other yeast spliceosomal RNAs, U6 is very similar in size, sequence and structure to its mammalian homologue. The single-copy gene is essential. These properties suggest a central role in pre-mRNA processing. An extensive base-pairing interaction with U4 snRNA is described; the destabilization of the U4/U6 complex seen during splicing thus requires a large conformational change.     

Splicing-related catalysis by protein-free snRNAs

Removal of intervening sequences from eukaryotic messenger RNA precursors is carried out by the spliceosome, a complex assembly of five small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and a large number of proteins. Although it has been suggested that the spliceosome might be an RNA enzyme, direct evidence for this has been lacking, and the identity of the catalytic domain of the spliceosome is unknown. Here we show that a protein-free complex of two snRNAs, U2 and U6, can bind and position a small RNA containing the sequence of the intron branch site, and activate the branch adenosine to attack a catalytically critical domain of U6 in a reaction that is related to the first step of splicing. Our data provide direct evidence for the catalytic potential of spliceosomal snRNAs.     

Crystal structure of an H/ACA box ribonucleoprotein particle

H/ACA ribonucleoprotein particles (RNPs) are a family of RNA pseudouridine synthases that specify modification sites through guide RNAs. They also participate in eukaryotic ribosomal RNA processing and are a component of vertebrate telomerases. Here we report the crystal structure, at 2.3 A resolution, of an entire archaeal H/ACA RNP consisting of proteins Cbf5, Nop10, Gar1 and L7ae, and a single-hairpin H/ACA RNA, revealing a modular organization of the complex. The RNA upper stem is bound to a composite surface formed by L7ae, Nop10 and Cbf5, and the RNA lower stem and ACA signature motif are bound to the PUA domain of Cbf5, thereby positioning middle guide sequences so that they are primed to pair with substrate RNA. Furthermore, Gar1 may regulate substrate loading and release. The structure rationalizes the consensus structure of H/ACA RNAs, suggests a functional role of each protein, and provides a framework for understanding the mechanism of RNA-guided pseudouridylation, as well as various cellular functions of H/ACA RNP.     

粟酒裂殖酵母snR41 snoRNA的鉴定及其结构进化的意义

采用计算机分析和分子生物学实验的方法,在粟酒裂殖酵母Schizosaccharomyces pombe中发现和鉴定了一种新的反义snoRNA,命名为snR41,与酿酒酵母Sacharomyces cerevisiae snR41同源分子比较,粟酒裂殖酵母snR41只具有一个指导rRNA核糖甲基化的反义序列,这一发现进一步揭示了反义snoRNA同源分子在一级结构上的多样性,为研究反义SnoRNA结构及进化提供了新的线索。