Structure of the Human Cation-Independent Mannose 6-Phosphate/IGF2 Receptor Domains 7–11 Uncovers the Mannose 6-Phosphate Binding Site of Domain 9

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A novel family of plant splicing factors with a Zn knuckle motif: examination of RNA binding and splicing activities

An important group of splicing factors involved in constitutive and alternative splicing contain an arginine/serine (RS)-rich domain. We have previously demonstrated the existence of such factors in plants and report now on a new family of splicing factors (termed the RSZ family) from Arabidopsis thaliana which additionally harbor a Zn knuckle motif similar to the human splicing factor 9G8. Although only around 20 kDa in size, members of this family possess a multi-domain structure. In addition to the N-terminal RNA recognition motif (RRM), a Zn finger motif of the CCHC-type is inserted in an RGG-rich region; all three motifs are known to contribute to RNA binding. The C-terminal domain has a characteristic repeated structure which is very arginine-rich and centered around an SP dipeptide. One member of this family, atRSZp22, has been shown to be a phosphoprotein with properties similar to SR proteins. Furthermore, atRSZp22 was able to complement efficiently splicing deficient mammalian S100 as well as h9G8-depleted extracts. RNA binding assays to selected RNA sequences indicate an RNA binding specificity similar to the human splicing factors 9G8 and SRp20. Taken together, these result show that atRSZp22 is a true plant splicing factor which combines structural and functional features of both h9G8 and hSRp20.     

Unusual bipartite mode of interaction between the nonsense‐mediated decay factors,UPF1 and UPF2

Nonsense‐mediated decay (NMD) is a eukaryotic quality control mechanism that degrades mRNAs carrying premature stop codons. In mammalian cells, NMD is triggered when UPF2 bound to UPF3 on a downstream exon junction complex interacts with UPF1 bound to a stalled ribosome. We report structural studies on the interaction between the C‐terminal region of UPF2 and intact UPF1. Crystal structures, confirmed by EM and SAXS, show that the UPF1 CH‐domain is docked onto its helicase domain in a fixed configuration. The C‐terminal region of UPF2 is natively unfolded but binds through separated α‐helical and β‐hairpin elements to the UPF1 CH‐domain. The α‐helical region binds sixfold more weakly than the β‐hairpin, whereas the combined elements bind 80‐fold more tightly. Cellular assays show that NMD is severely affected by mutations disrupting the beta‐hairpin binding, but not by those only affecting alpha‐helix binding. We propose that the bipartite mode of UPF2 binding to UPF1 brings the ribosome and the EJC in close proximity by forming a tight complex after an initial weak encounter with either element.     

Reaction of R(Ph)SnCl2(R=Me, Et) with 2,6-diacetylpyridine bis(thiosemicarbazone) (H2DAPTSC): the crystal structures of [Me(Ph)Sn(HDAPTSC)]Cl · 1.25 MeOH and [Et(Ph)Sn(H2DAPTSC)]Cl2 · MeOH · H2O

The reactions of Me(Ph)SnCl₂ and Et(Ph)SnCl₂ with 2,6-diacetylpyridine bis(thiosemicarbazone) (H₂DAPTSC) afforded the complexes [Me(Ph)Sn(HDAPTSC)]Cl · 1.25MeOH (1) and [Et(Ph)Sn(H₂DAPTSC)]Cl₂ · MeOH · H₂O (2), respectively. Single-crystal X-ray crystallography showed that in both complexes the ligand, monodeprotonated in 1 and neutral in 2, is S(1),S(2),N(3),N(4),N(5)-coordinated, and the coordination geometry around the metal can be described as a distorted pentagonal bipyramid with the aryl and alkyl groups in axial positions. ¹H and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR studies of solution in DMSO suggest that 2 dissociates completely in this solvent, while 1 evolves to the new complex [Me(Ph)Sn(DAPTSC)], with release of H₂DAPTSC and Me(Ph)SnCl₂. These conclusions were also supported by conductivity measurements.     

The regulation of mRNA stability in mammalian cells: 2.0

Messenger RNA decay is an essential step in gene expression to set mRNA abundance in the cytoplasm. The binding of proteins and/or noncoding RNAs to specific recognition sequences or secondary structures within mRNAs dictates mRNA decay rates by recruiting specific enzyme complexes that perform the destruction processes. Often, the cell coordinates the degradation or stabilization of functional subsets of mRNAs encoding proteins collectively required for a biological process. As well, extrinsic or intrinsic stimuli activate signal transduction pathways that modify the mRNA decay machinery with consequent effects on decay rates and mRNA abundance. This review is an update to our 2001 Gene review on mRNA stability in mammalian cells, and we survey the enormous progress made over the past decade.