Evolutionary origin of the U6 small nuclear RNA intron.

U6 is the most conserved of the five small nuclear RNAs known to participate in pre-mRNA splicing. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the single-copy gene encoding this RNA is itself interrupted by an intron (T. Tani and Y. Ohshima, Nature (London) 337:87-90, 1989). Here we report analysis of the U6 genes from all four Schizosaccharomyces species, revealing that each is interrupted at an identical position by a homologous intron; in other groups, including ascomycete and basidiomycete fungi, as well as more distantly related organisms, the U6 gene is colinear with the RNA. The most parsimonious interpretation of our data is that the ancestral U6 gene did not contain an intron, but rather, it was acquired via a single relatively recent insertional event.     

A small RNA of Mycoplasma capricolum that resembles eukaryotic U6 small nuclear RNA.

Mycoplasma capricolum, a parasitic prokaryote, contains several small stable RNAs, besides rRNAs and tRNAs. One of them, designated MCS4 RNA (125 nucleotides in length), has been isolated and sequenced. This RNA is abundant in the cell, and is encoded by two genes. Unexpectedly, MCS4 RNA has been found to reveal extensive sequence similarity to eukaryotic U6 snRNAs. This finding suggests that MCS4 and U6 snRNAs are derived from a common ancestral RNA that has existed before the divergence of prokaryotes and eukaryotes.     

Sequences required for 3' end formation of human U2 small nuclear RNA

Xenopus oocytes injected with human U2 snRNA genes synthesize mature U2 as well as a U2 precursor with about 10 extra 3' nucleotides (human pre-U2 RNA). Formation of the pre-U2 3' end requires a downstream element located between position +16 and +37 in the U2 3'-flanking sequence. The distance between this element and the U2 coding region can be increased without affecting formation of the pre-U2 3' end. When the natural sequence surrounding the pre-U2 3' end is changed, novel 3' ends are still generated within a narrow range upstream from the element. The 3' terminal stem-loop of U2 snRNA is not required for pre-U2 3' end formation. A sequence within the 3' element (GTTTN0-3AAAPuNNAGA) is conserved among snRNA genes transcribed by RNA polymerase II. Our results suggest that the 3' ends of pre-U2 RNA and histone mRNA may be generated by related but distinct RNA processing mechanisms.     

U1 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins are required early during spliceosome assembly.

U1 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) are required for in vitro splicing of pre-mRNA. Sequences within U1 RNA hybridize to, and thus recognize, 5' splice junctions. We have investigated the mechanism of association of U1 snRNPs with the spliceosome. U1-specific antibodies detected U1 association with precursor RNA early during assembly. Removal of the 5' terminal sequences of U1 RNA by oligo-directed cleavage or removal of U1 snRNPs by immunoprecipitation prior to the addition of precursor RNA depressed the association of all snRNPs with precursor RNA as detected by immunoprecipitation of splicing complexes by either Sm or U1-specific antibodies. Assembly of the spliceosome as monitored by gel electrophoresis was also depressed after cleavage of U1 RNA. The dependency of Sm precipitability of precursor RNA upon the presence of U1 snRNPs suggests that U1 snRNPs participate in the early recognition of substrate RNAs by U2 to U6 snRNPs. Although removal of the 5'-terminal sequences of U1 depressed U1 snRNP association with precursor RNA, it did not eliminate it, suggesting semistable association of U1 snRNPs with the assembling spliceosome in the absence of U1 RNA hybridization. This association was not dependent upon 5' splice junction sequences but was dependent upon 3' intronic sequences, indicating that U1 snRNPs interact with factors recognizing 3' intronic sequences. Mutual dependence of 5' and 3' recognition factors suggests significant snRNP-snRNP communication during early assembly.     

A highly specific terminal uridylyl transferase modifies the 3'-end of U6 small nuclear RNA.

HeLa cell extracts contain significant amounts of terminal uridylyl transferase (TUTase) activity. In a template-independent reaction with labeled UTP, these enzymes are capable of modifying a broad spectrum of cellular RNA molecules in vitro . However, fractionation of cell extracts by gel filtration clearly separated two independent activities. In addition to a non-specific enzyme, an additional terminal uridylyl transferase has been identified that is highly specific for cellular and in vitro synthesized U6 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) molecules. This novel TUTase enzyme was also able to select as an efficient substrate U6 snRNA species from higher eucaryotes. In contrast, no labeling was detectable with purified fission yeast RNA. Using synthetic RNAs containing different amounts of transcribed 3'-end UMP residues, high resolution gel electrophoresis revealed that U6 snRNA species with three terminal U nucleotides served as the optimal substrate for the transferase reaction. The 3'-end modification of the optimal synthetic substrate was identical to that observed with endogenous U6 snRNA isolated from HeLa cells. Therefore, we conclude that the specific addition of UMP residues to 3'-recessed U6 snRNA molecules reflects a recycling process, ensuring the functional regeneration for pre-mRNA splicing of this snRNA.     

Structural and functional characterization of mouse U7 small nuclear RNA active in 3'' processing of histone pre-mRNA.

Oligonucleotides derived from the spacer element of the histone RNA 3' processing signal were used to characterize mouse U7 small nuclear RNA (snRNA), i.e., the snRNA component active in 3' processing of histone pre-mRNA. Under RNase H conditions, such oligonucleotides inhibited the processing reaction, indicating the formation of a DNA-RNA hybrid with a functional ribonucleoprotein component. Moreover, these oligonucleotides hybridized to a single nuclear RNA species of approximately 65 nucleotides. The sequence of this RNA was determined by primer extension experiments and was found to bear several structural similarities with sea urchin U7 snRNA. The comparison of mouse and sea urchin U7 snRNA structures yields some further insight into the mechanism of histone RNA 3' processing.     

U4 small nuclear RNA dissociates from a yeast spliceosome and does not participate in the subsequent splicing reaction.

U4 and U6 small nuclear RNAs reside in a single ribonucleoprotein particle, and both are required for pre-mRNA splicing. The U4/U6 and U5 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins join U1 and U2 on the pre-mRNA during spliceosome assembly. Binding of U4 is then destabilized prior to or concomitant with the 5' cleavage-ligation. In order to test the role of U4 RNA, we isolated a functional spliceosome by using extracts prepared from yeast cells carrying a temperature-sensitive allele of prp2 (rna2). The isolated prp2 delta spliceosome contains U2, U5, U6, and possibly also U1 and can be activated to splice the bound pre-mRNA. U4 RNA does not associate with the isolated spliceosomes and is shown not to be involved in the subsequent cleavage-ligation reactions. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the role of U4 in pre-mRNA splicing is to deliver U6 to the spliceosome.     

Architecture of the U5 small nuclear RNA.

We have used comparative sequence analysis and deletion analysis to examine the secondary structure of the U5 small nuclear RNA (snRNA), an essential component of the pre-mRNA splicing apparatus. The secondary structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae U5 snRNA was studied in detail, while sequences from six other fungal species were included in the phylogenetic analysis. Our results indicate that fungal U5 snRNAs, like their counterparts from other taxa, can be folded into a secondary structure characterized by a highly conserved stem-loop (stem-loop 1) that is flanked by a moderately conserved internal loop (internal loop 1). In addition, several of the fungal U5 snRNAs include a novel stem-loop structure (ca. 30 nucleotides) that is adjacent to stem-loop 1. By deletion analysis of the S. cerevisiae snRNA, we have demonstrated that the minimal U5 snRNA that can complement the lethal phenotype of a U5 gene disruption consists of (i) stem-loop 1, (ii) internal loop 1, (iii) a stem-closing internal loop 1, and (iv) the conserved Sm protein binding site. Remarkably, all essential, U5-specific primary sequence elements are encoded by a 39-nucleotide domain consisting of stem-loop 1 and internal loop 1. This domain must, therefore, contain all U5-specific sequences that are essential for splicing activity, including binding sites for U5-specific proteins.     

Accumulation of U14 small nuclear RNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires box C, box D, and a 5'', 3'' terminal stem.

U14 is one of several nucleolar small nuclear RNAs required for normal processing of rRNA. Functional mapping of U14 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae has yielded a number of mutants defective in U14 accumulation or function. In this study, we have further defined three structural elements required for U14 accumulation. The essential elements include the U14-conserved box C and box D sequences and a 5', 3' terminal stem. The box elements are coconserved among several nucleolar small nuclear RNAs and have been implicated in binding of the protein fibrillarin. New mutational results show that the first GA bases of the box C sequence UGAUGA are essential, and two vital bases in box D have also been identified. An intragenic suppressor of a lethal box C mutant has been isolated and shown to contain a new box C-like PyGAUG sequence two bases upstream of normal box C. The importance of the terminal stem was confirmed from new compensatory base changes and the finding that accumulation defects in the box elements can be complemented by extending the terminal stem. The results suggest that the observed defects in accumulation reflect U14 instability and that protein binding to one or more of these elements is required for metabolic stability.     

U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein: RNA structure analysis and ATP-dependent interaction with U4/U6.

To understand how the U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) interacts with other spliceosome components, its structure and binding to the U4/U6 snRNP were analyzed. The interaction of the U5 snRNP with the U4/U6 snRNP was studied by separating the snRNPs in HeLa cell nuclear extracts on glycerol gradients. A complex running at 25S and containing U4, U5, and U6 but not U1 or U2 snRNAs was identified. In contrast to results with native gel electrophoresis to separate snRNPs, this U4/U5/U6 snRNP complex requires ATP to assemble from the individual snRNPs. The structure of the U5 RNA within the U5 snRNP and the U4/5/6 snRNP complexes was then compared. Oligonucleotide-targeted RNase H digestion identified one RNA sequence in the U5 snRNP capable of base pairing to other nucleic acid sequences. Chemical modification experiments identified this sequence as well as two other U5 RNA sequences as accessible to modification within the U5 RNP. One of these regions is a large loop in the U5 RNA secondary structure whose sequence is conserved from Saccharomyces cerevisiae to humans. Interestingly, no differences in modification of free U5 snRNP as compared to U5 in the U4/U5/U6 snRNP complex were observed, suggesting that recognition of specific RNA sequences in the U5 snRNP is not required for U4/U5/U6 snRNP assembly.     

Direct interactions between pre-mRNA and six U2 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins during spliceosome assembly.

Highly purified mammalian spliceosomal complex B contains more than 30 specific protein components. We have carried out UV cross-linking studies to determine which of these components directly contacts pre-mRNA in purified prespliceosomal and spliceosomal complexes. We show that heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins cross-link in the nonspecific complex H but not in the B complex. U2AF65, which binds to the 3' splice site, is the only splicing factor that cross-links in purified prespliceosomal complex E. U2AF65 and the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle (snRNP) are subsequently destabilized, and a set of six spliceosome-associated proteins (SAPs) cross-links to the pre-mRNA in the prespliceosomal complex A. These proteins require the 3' splice site for binding and cross-link to an RNA containing only the branch site and 3' splice site. Significantly, all six of these SAPs are specifically associated with U2 snRNP. These proteins and a U5 snRNP component cross-link in the fully assembled B complex. Previous work detected an ATP-dependent, U2 snRNP-associated factor that protects a 30- to 40-nucleotide region surrounding the branchpoint sequence from RNase digestion. Our data indicate that the six U2 snRNP-associated SAPs correspond to this branchpoint protection factor. Four of the snRNP proteins that are in intimate contact with the pre-mRNA are conserved between Saccharomyces cerevisiae and humans, consistent with the possibility that these factors play key roles in mediating snRNA-pre-mRNA interactions during the splicing reaction.