An MRNA-type Intron is Present in the Rhodotorula Hasegawae U2 Small Nuclear RNA Gene

Overview

Journal Mol Cell Biol

Specialty Cell Biology

Date 1993 Sep 1

PMID 8355704

Citations 12

Authors

Y Takahashi

S Urushiyama

T Tani

Y Ohshima

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Splicing an mRNA precursor requires multiple factors involving five small nuclear RNA (snRNA) species called U1, U2, U4, U5, and U6. The presence of mRNA-type introns in the U6 snRNA genes of some yeasts led to the hypothesis that U6 snRNA may play a catalytic role in pre-mRNA splicing and that the U6 introns occurred through reverse splicing of an intron from an mRNA precursor into a catalytic site of U6 snRNA. We characterized the U2 snRNA gene of the yeast Rhodotorula hasegawae, which has four mRNA-type introns in the U6 snRNA gene, and found an mRNA-type intron of 60 bp. The intron of the U2 snRNA gene is present in the highly conserved region immediately downstream of the branch site recognition domain. Interestingly, we found that this region can form a novel base pairing with U6 snRNA. We discuss the possible implications of these findings for the mechanisms of intron acquisition and for the role of U2 snRNA in pre-mRNA splicing.

Citing Articles

The life of U6 small nuclear RNA, from cradle to grave.

Didychuk A, Butcher S, Brow D RNA. 2018; 24(4):437-460.

PMID: 29367453 PMC: 5855946. DOI: 10.1261/rna.065136.117.

U6 snRNA intron insertion occurred multiple times during fungi evolution.

Canzler S, Stadler P, Hertel J RNA Biol. 2016; 13(2):119-27.

PMID: 26828373 PMC: 4829304. DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2015.1132139.

Where do introns come from?.

Catania F, Lynch M PLoS Biol. 2008; 6(11):e283.

PMID: 19067485 PMC: 2586383. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.0060283.

Computational screen for spliceosomal RNA genes aids in defining the phylogenetic distribution of major and minor spliceosomal components.

Lopez M, Alm Rosenblad M, Samuelsson T Nucleic Acids Res. 2008; 36(9):3001-10.

PMID: 18390578 PMC: 2396436. DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkn142.

trans-splicing to spliceosomal U2 snRNA suggests disruption of branch site-U2 pairing during pre-mRNA splicing.

Smith D, Query C, Konarska M Mol Cell. 2007; 26(6):883-90.

PMID: 17588521 PMC: 1973159. DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2007.05.020.

References

Chabot B, Black D, Lemaster D, Steitz J . The 3' splice site of pre-messenger RNA is recognized by a small nuclear ribonucleoprotein. Science. 1985; 230(4732):1344-9. DOI: 10.1126/science.2933810. View

Frendewey D, Barta I, Gillespie M, Potashkin J . Schizosaccharomyces U6 genes have a sequence within their introns that matches the B box consensus of tRNA internal promoters. Nucleic Acids Res. 1990; 18(8):2025-32. PMC: 330678. DOI: 10.1093/nar/18.8.2025. View

Seraphin B, Kretzner L, Rosbash M . A U1 snRNA:pre-mRNA base pairing interaction is required early in yeast spliceosome assembly but does not uniquely define the 5' cleavage site. EMBO J. 1988; 7(8):2533-8. PMC: 457124. DOI: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb03101.x. View

Parker R, Siliciano P, Guthrie C . Recognition of the TACTAAC box during mRNA splicing in yeast involves base pairing to the U2-like snRNA. Cell. 1987; 49(2):229-39. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90564-2. View

Zhuang Y, Weiner A . A compensatory base change in U1 snRNA suppresses a 5' splice site mutation. Cell. 1986; 46(6):827-35. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(86)90064-4. View

Brow D, Guthrie C . Splicing a spliceosomal RNA. Nature. 1989; 337(6202):14-5. DOI: 10.1038/337014a0. View

Reich C, VanHoy R, PORTER G, Wise J . Mutations at the 3' splice site can be suppressed by compensatory base changes in U1 snRNA in fission yeast. Cell. 1992; 69(7):1159-69. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(92)90637-r. View

Ares Jr M, Igel A . Lethal and temperature-sensitive mutations and their suppressors identify an essential structural element in U2 small nuclear RNA. Genes Dev. 1990; 4(12A):2132-45. DOI: 10.1101/gad.4.12a.2132. View

Thomas J, Lea K, Blumenthal T . The spliceosomal snRNAs of Caenorhabditis elegans. Nucleic Acids Res. 1990; 18(9):2633-42. PMC: 330746. DOI: 10.1093/nar/18.9.2633. View

10.

Siliciano P, Guthrie C . 5' splice site selection in yeast: genetic alterations in base-pairing with U1 reveal additional requirements. Genes Dev. 1988; 2(10):1258-67. DOI: 10.1101/gad.2.10.1258. View

11.

Hausner T, Giglio L, Weiner A . Evidence for base-pairing between mammalian U2 and U6 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles. Genes Dev. 1990; 4(12A):2146-56. DOI: 10.1101/gad.4.12a.2146. View

12.

Myslinski E, Segault V, Branlant C . An intron in the genes for U3 small nucleolar RNAs of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Science. 1990; 247(4947):1213-6. DOI: 10.1126/science.1690452. View

13.

Wu J, Manley J . Mammalian pre-mRNA branch site selection by U2 snRNP involves base pairing. Genes Dev. 1989; 3(10):1553-61. DOI: 10.1101/gad.3.10.1553. View

14.

Datta B, Weiner A . Genetic evidence for base pairing between U2 and U6 snRNA in mammalian mRNA splicing. Nature. 1991; 352(6338):821-4. DOI: 10.1038/352821a0. View

15.

Sawa H, Shimura Y . Association of U6 snRNA with the 5'-splice site region of pre-mRNA in the spliceosome. Genes Dev. 1992; 6(2):244-54. DOI: 10.1101/gad.6.2.244. View

16.

Tani T, Ohshima Y . mRNA-type introns in U6 small nuclear RNA genes: implications for the catalysis in pre-mRNA splicing. Genes Dev. 1991; 5(6):1022-31. DOI: 10.1101/gad.5.6.1022. View

17.

Madhani H, Guthrie C . A novel base-pairing interaction between U2 and U6 snRNAs suggests a mechanism for the catalytic activation of the spliceosome. Cell. 1992; 71(5):803-17. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(92)90556-r. View

18.

Gerke V, Steitz J . A protein associated with small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles recognizes the 3' splice site of premessenger RNA. Cell. 1986; 47(6):973-84. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(86)90812-3. View

19.

McPheeters D, Abelson J . Mutational analysis of the yeast U2 snRNA suggests a structural similarity to the catalytic core of group I introns. Cell. 1992; 71(5):819-31. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(92)90557-s. View

20.

Newman A, Norman C . U5 snRNA interacts with exon sequences at 5' and 3' splice sites. Cell. 1992; 68(4):743-54. DOI: 10.1016/0092-8674(92)90149-7. View