The "spliceosome": yeast pre-messenger RNA associates with a 40S complex in a splicing-dependent reaction

The in vitro splicing reactions of pre-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) in a yeast extract were analyzed by glycerol gradient centrifugation. Labeled pre-mRNA appears in a 40S peak only if the pre-mRNA undergoes the first of the two partial splicing reactions. RNA analysis after extraction of glycerol gradient fractions shows that lariat-form intermediates, molecules that occur only in mRNA splicing, are found almost exclusively in this 40S complex. Another reaction intermediate, cut 5' exon RNA, can also be found concentrated in this complex. The complex is stable even in 400 mM KCl, although at this salt concentration, it sediments at 35S and is clearly distinguishable from 40S ribosomal subunits. This complex, termed a "spliceosome," is thought to contain components necessary for mRNA splicing; its existence can explain how separated exons on pre-mRNA are brought into contact.     

Affinity chromatography of splicing complexes: U2, U5, and U4 + U6 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles in the spliceosome

The splicing process, which removes intervening sequences from messenger RNA (mRNA) precursors is essential to gene expression in eukaryotic cells. This site-specific process requires precise sequence recognition at the boundaries of an intervening sequence, but the mechanism of this recognition is not understood. The splicing of mRNA precursors occurs in a multicomponent complex termed the spliceosome. Such an assembly of components is likely to play a key role in specifying those sequences to be spliced. In order to analyze spliceosome structure, a stringent approach was developed to obtain splicing complexes free of cellular contaminants. This approach is a form of affinity chromatography based on the high specificity of the biotin-streptavidin interaction. A minimum of three subunits: U2, U5, and U4 + U6 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles were identified in the 35S spliceosome structure, which also contains the bipartite RNA intermediate of splicing. A 25S presplicing complex contained only the U2 particle. The multiple subunit structure of the spliceosome has implications for the regulation of a splicing event and for its possible catalysis by ribozyme or ribozymes.     

U1-specific protein C needed for efficient complex formation of U1 snRNP with a 5' splice site

One of the functions of U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) in the splicing reaction of pre-mRNA molecules is the recognition of the 5' splice site. U1 snRNP proteins as well as base-pair interactions between U1 snRNA and the 5' splice site are important for the formation of the snRNP-pre-mRNA complex. To determine which proteins are needed for complex formation, the ability of U1 snRNPs gradually depleted of the U1-specific proteins C, A, and 70k to bind to an RNA molecule containing a 5' splice site sequence was studied in a nitrocellulose filter binding assay. The most significant effect was always observed when protein C was removed, either alone or together with other U1-specific proteins; the binding was reduced by 50 to 60%. Complementation of protein C-deficient U1 snRNPs with purified C protein restored their 5' splice site binding activity. These data suggest that protein C may potentiate the base-pair interaction between U1 RNA and the 5' splice site.     

Structural roles for human translation factor eIF3 in initiation of protein synthesis

Protein synthesis in mammalian cells requires initiation factor eIF3, a approximately 750-kilodalton complex that controls assembly of 40S ribosomal subunits on messenger RNAs (mRNAs) bearing either a 5'-cap or an internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Cryo-electron microscopy reconstructions show that eIF3, a five-lobed particle, interacts with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) IRES RNA and the 5'-cap binding complex eIF4F via the same domain. Detailed modeling of eIF3 and eIF4F onto the 40S ribosomal subunit reveals that eIF3 uses eIF4F or the HCV IRES in structurally similar ways to position the mRNA strand near the exit site of 40S, promoting initiation complex assembly.     

17S U2 snRNP中不可或缺的剪接因子SF3a的研究进展

剪接体由snRNPs(small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles)和非snRNPs蛋白质组成,能通过剪接作用对内含子进行精确切除,形成成熟有活性的mRNA。SF3a是哺乳动物U2型主要剪接体中不可或缺的成分,参与形成有活性的17S U2 snRNP,由SF3a60、SF3a66、SF3a120构成。SF3a120与SF3a60和SF3a66互作,但SF3a60与SF3a66并不互作。文中对17U2 snRNP中的剪接因子SF3a的研究进展进行了阐述,证明了SF3a对于细胞的形态、分化、正常的生长发育具有重要作用。     

Small nuclear ribonucleoprotein remodeling during catalytic activation of the spliceosome

Major structural changes occur in the spliceosome during its activation just before catalyzing the splicing of pre-messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs). Whereas changes in small nuclear RNA (snRNA) conformation are well documented, little is known about remodeling of small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) structures during spliceosome activation. Here, human 45S activated spliceosomes and a previously unknown 35S U5 snRNP were isolated by immunoaffinity selection and were characterized by mass spectrometry. Comparison of their protein components with those of other snRNP and spliceosomal complexes revealed a major change in protein composition during spliceosome activation. Our data also suggest that the U5 snRNP is dramatically remodeled at this stage, with the Prp19 complex and other factors tightly associating, possibly in exchange for other U5 proteins, and suggest that after catalysis the remodeled U5 is eventually released from the postsplicing complex as a 35S snRNP particle.     

猪CD127流式单克隆抗体的研制

[目的]研制出猪CD127(调节因子IL-7受体α链)流式单克隆抗体,为研究分析猪淋巴细胞亚群,尤其是猪Treg细胞亚群提供流式细胞分析抗体,也为进一步探究猪抗病性状与免疫机制间的关系打下基础.[方法]克隆猪CD127基因片段,通过原核载体诱导表达出相应的融合蛋白,以纯化后的融合蛋白免疫Balb/c小鼠,然后取其脾细胞与SP2/0骨髓瘤细胞融合,综合ELISA和流式细胞仪检测筛选出亚克隆抗体,并采用Western blotting验证所得亚克隆抗体能否与猪淋巴细胞上的CD127特异性结合.[结果]猪CD127基因cDNA全长1999 bp,第49~1428 bp为开放阅读框(ORF),编码459个氨基酸,其中前21位氨基酸为信号肽,成熟肽N端第1~219位氨基酸为胞外蛋白,第220~242位氨基酸为跨膜蛋白,第243~459位氨基酸为胞内蛋白.以pET28a和pET32a原核载体诱导表达CD127胞外片段可获得大小介于34~43 kD的融合蛋白,经Ni亲和层析柱纯化后用于免疫Balb/c小鼠,6只免疫小鼠血清中的多克隆抗体均能对猪淋巴细胞中的CD3阳性细胞(CD3+)进行共标记,其中以M2和M4两只免疫小鼠抗血清对CD3+的共标记效果较优,分群清晰;但流式细胞仪检测发现,仅2.3%的CD3+能与M2混合池培养基上清液中的分泌抗体共标记,而67.0%的CD3+能与M4混合池培养基上清液中的分泌抗体共标记,且分群清晰.从M4混合池中筛选出6株效价稳定的亚克隆细胞株(1E2、1D8、2F3、2F8、3C6和4E1),且以1D8、2F3、2F8和3C6亚克隆抗体标记的CD3+较多,其培养基上清液中的分泌抗体在猪胸腺和肌肉样品中均能检测出大小约50 kD的单一目的条带.[结论]制备获得的猪CD127流式单克隆抗体可与T淋巴细胞表面的IL-7受体特异性结合,同时在流式细胞仪检测过程中可用于猪Treg细胞亚群检测.     

Splicing of messenger RNA precursors

A general mechanism for the splicing of nuclear messenger RNA precursors in eukaryotic cells has been widely accepted. This mechanism, which generates lariat RNAs possessing a branch site, seems related to the RNA-catalyzed reactions of self-splicing introns. The splicing of nuclear messenger RNA precursors involves the formation of a multicomponent complex, the spliceosome. This splicing body contains at least three different small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs), U2, U5, and U4 + U6. A complex containing precursor RNA and the U2 snRNP particle is a likely intermediate in the formation of the spliceosome.     

Myosin: a link between streptococci and heart

Murine monoclonal antibodies to Streptococcus pyogenes reacted with skeletal muscle myosin. High molecular weight proteins in extracts of human heart tissue that reacted with an antibody to S. pyogenes also reacted with a monoclonal antibody to ventricular myosin. Adsorption of the antibody to streptococci with S. pyogenes simultaneously removed reactivity of the antibody for either S. pyogenes or myosin. These results indicate that myosin shares immunodeterminants with a component of S. pyogenes.     

Association of TALS developmental disorder with defect in minor splicing component U4atac snRNA

The spliceosome, a ribonucleoprotein complex that includes proteins and small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs), catalyzes RNA splicing through intron excision and exon ligation to produce mature messenger RNAs, which, in turn serve as templates for protein translation. We identified four point mutations in the U4atac snRNA component of the minor spliceosome in patients with brain and bone malformations and unexplained postnatal death [microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type 1 (MOPD 1) or Taybi-Linder syndrome (TALS); Mendelian Inheritance in Man ID no. 210710]. Expression of a subgroup of genes, possibly linked to the disease phenotype, and minor intron splicing were affected in cell lines derived from TALS patients. Our findings demonstrate a crucial role of the minor spliceosome component U4atac snRNA in early human development and postnatal survival.     

Control of alternative splicing by the differential binding of U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle.

Cellular factors controlling alternative splicing of precursor messenger RNA are largely unknown, even though this process plays a central role in specifying the diversity of proteins in the eukaryotic cell. For the identification of such factors, a segment of the rat preprotachykinin gene was used in which differential expression of neuropeptides gamma and K is dependent on alternative splicing of the fourth exon (E4). Sequence variants of the three-exon segment, (E3-E4-E5) were created, resulting in a sensitive assay for factors mediating the splicing switch between E4-skipping and E4-inclusion. A dinucleotide mutation in the 5' splice site of E4 that increase base-pairing of this site to U1 small nuclear RNA resulted in uniform selection of E4, whereas a control mutation that destroyed base-pairing resulted in uniform E4-skipping. Affinity selection of spliceosomes formed on these functionally distinct substrates revealed that the extreme difference in splicing was mediated by differential binding of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle (snRNP) to the 5' splice site of E4. These data show that, apart from its established role in selecting 5' splice sites, U1 snRNP plays a fundamental role in 3' exon selection and provides insight into possible mechanisms of alternative splicing.     

鸡大肠杆菌1型菌毛单克隆抗体的研制

将菌毛化的大肠杆菌C600（fim^ ）经0.3%甲醛灭活后作为免疫原，经淋巴细胞杂交瘤技术，用间接酶联免疫吸附试验（ELISA）筛选获得1F4－1和2C32株抗F1菌毛a或b因子抗原单抗和1株抗F1c因子抗原单抗，它们均为IgG1。免疫印迹试验结果表明：3株单抗均能同禽大肠杆菌1型菌毛反应，识别分子质量为17ku左右的菌毛蛋白。同时对沙门氏菌及猪源大肠杆菌进行检测，结果均无交叉反应性，说明禽病原性大肠杆菌F1菌毛与沙门氏菌1型菌毛及猪大肠杆菌粘附素之间存在很大差异。     

口蹄疫病毒受体猪源整联蛋白β6亚基配体结合域单克隆抗体识别的抗原表位分析

[目的]分析测定口蹄疫病毒受体猪源整联蛋白β6亚基配体结合域单克隆抗体（mAb）的抗原识别位点、饱和值、亲和力常数。[方法]利用叠加ELISA法、间接ELISA法、硫氰酸盐洗脱法测定C2D8、B786、B8C9、CAC7、E7C75株mAb的抗原识别位点、饱和值、亲和力常数。[结果15株mAb间具有相似或不同的抗原识剐位点,其中C4C7与E7C7、C4C7与B8C9、E7C7与B8C9等mAb间的识别位点相似．而C4C7与B786、E7C7与C2D8等mAb间的识别位点不同。5株mAbC2D8、E7C7、B8C9、C4C7、B7B6的饱和值分别为1：200、1：400、1：800、1：800、1：800,亲和力为B8C9〉C4C7〉B7B6≥E7C7〉C2D8。[结论]分析测定了5株mAb的抗原识别位点、饱和值、亲和力常数,从而为利用mAb深入研究整联蛋白OtV[36在口蹄疫病毒感染过程中的作用奠定基础。     

Messenger RNA splicing in yeast: clues to why the spliceosome is a ribonucleoprotein

The removal of introns from eukaryotic messenger RNA precursors shares mechanistic characteristics with the self-splicing of certain introns, prompting speculation that the catalytic reactions of nuclear pre-messenger RNA splicing are fundamentally RNA-based. The participation of five small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) in splicing is now well documented. Genetic analysis in yeast has revealed the requirement, in addition, for several dozen proteins. Some of these are tightly bound to snRNAs to form small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs); such proteins may promote interactions between snRNAs or between an snRNA and the intron. Other, non-snRNP proteins appear to associate transiently with the spliceosome. Some of these factors, which include RNA-dependent adenosine triphosphatases, may promote the accurate recognition of introns.     

Virus-specific splicing inhibitor in extracts from cells infected with HIV-1

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), in contrast with most other retroviruses, encodes trans-regulatory proteins for virus gene expression. It is shown in this study, by means of an in vitro splicing system, that nuclear extracts obtained from cells infected with HIV-1 contain a factor (or factors) that specifically inhibits splicing of a synthetic SP6/HIV pre-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA)-containing donor and acceptor splice sites in the coding region for the envelope protein. It is also shown that the SP6/HIV pre-mRNA is not capable of assembly in a ribonucleoprotein complex, spliceosome, in extracts from infected cells. These findings raise the possibility that specific inhibition of pre-mRNA splicing in the envelope protein coding region by HIV-1 trans-regulatory factors might be one control mechanism for efficient production of structural viral proteins and virion assembly.     

Molecular cloning of complementary DNA encoding the avian receptor for vitamin D

Vitamin D3 receptors are intracellular proteins that mediate the nuclear action of the active metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3]. Two receptor-specific monoclonal antibodies were used to recover the complementary DNA (cDNA) of this regulatory protein from a chicken intestinal lambda gt11 cDNA expression library. The amino acid sequences that were deduced from this cDNA revealed a highly conserved cysteine-rich region that displayed homology with a domain characteristic of other steroid receptors and with the gag-erbA oncogene product of avian erythroblastosis virus. RNA selected via hybridization with this DNA sequence directed the cell-free synthesis of immunoprecipitable vitamin D3 receptor. Northern blot analysis of polyadenylated RNA with these cDNA probes revealed two vitamin D receptor messenger RNAs (mRNAs) of 2.6 and 3.2 kilobases in receptor-containing chicken tissues and a major cross-hybridizing receptor mRNA species of 4.2 kilobases in mouse 3T6 fibroblasts. The 4.2-kilobase species was substantially increased by prior exposure of 3T6 cells to 1,25(OH)2D3. This cDNA represents perhaps the rarest mRNA cloned to date in eukaryotes, as well as the first receptor sequence described for an authentic vitamin.     

Role of the nonsense-mediated decay factor hUpf3 in the splicing-dependent exon-exon junction complex

Nonsense-mediated messenger RNA (mRNA) decay, or NMD, is a critical process of selective degradation of mRNAs that contain premature stop codons. NMD depends on both pre-mRNA splicing and translation, and it requires recognition of the position of stop codons relative to exon-exon junctions. A key factor in NMD is hUpf3, a mostly nuclear protein that shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm and interacts specifically with spliced mRNAs. We found that hUpf3 interacts with Y14, a component of post-splicing mRNA-protein (mRNP) complexes, and that hUpf3 is enriched in Y14-containing mRNP complexes. The mRNA export factors Aly/REF and TAP are also associated with nuclear hUpf3, indicating that hUpf3 is in mRNP complexes that are poised for nuclear export. Like Y14 and Aly/REF, hUpf3 binds to spliced mRNAs specifically ( approximately 20 nucleotides) upstream of exon-exon junctions. The splicing-dependent binding of hUpf3 to mRNAs before export, as part of the complex that assembles near exon-exon junctions, allows it to serve as a link between splicing and NMD in the cytoplasm.