Author: Natalia Pinzon Restrepo

Publisher:

Published: 2011

Total Pages: 123

ISBN-13:

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Noncoding regulatory RNAs (ncRNAs) are in the focus of current research, since they participate in nearly all cellular processes. To get further insights into the functional and structural complexity of ncRNAs, we studied human ncRNAs belonging to two classes of ncRNAs, the nucleoplasmic spliceosomal snRNAs and the nucleolar and Cajal body-specific box C/D 2'-O-methylation guide RNAs. The U1 snRNP is an evolutionarily conserved, abundant nucleoplasmic snRNP that plays a central role in pre-mRNA splicing. According to a recently emerging view, besides its constitutive role in splicing, the U1 snRNP has important regulatory functions in different steps of pre-mRNA production. We demonstrated that a fraction of the human U1 snRNA specifically associates with the nuclear RNA-binding protein TAF15 that is known to interact with a subpopulation of TFIID and RNA polymerase II complexes. The U1-TAF15 snRNP is structurally and functionally distinct from the well-characterized U1 spliceosomal snRNP and it tightly associates with chromatin. The function of U1-TAF15 snRNP remains unknown; it might contribute to the coupling of transcription and splicing. WDR79 (also called WRAP53) has been recently identified as an essential factor for targeting a subclass of box C/D and H/ACA modification guide RNAs, as well as telomerase H/ACA RNA, into the Cajal bodies. Accumulation of box C/D and H/ACA RNPs in Cajal bodies is essential for the biogenesis of functional spliceosomal snRNPs and telomere synthesis. Co-immunopurification of WDR79-associated human RNAs, followed by cDNA synthesis and deep sequencing identified a large number of novel Cajal body-specific RNAs. We are currently dissecting the cis-acting RNA element responsible for WDR79-binding and for targeting box C/D 2'-O-methylation guide RNPs into Cajal bodies. We have also identified a novel Cajal body-specific 2'-O-methylation guide RNA that is predicted to direct methylation of cytidine 34 at the Wobble position of tRNA-Met-CAT elongator. Interestingly, tRNA modification is a novel function for vertebrate box C/D scaRNPs.

Download or read book Characterization of Regulatory Noncoding RNAs written by Natalia Pinzon Restrepo and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 123 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Noncoding regulatory RNAs (ncRNAs) are in the focus of current research, since they participate in nearly all cellular processes. To get further insights into the functional and structural complexity of ncRNAs, we studied human ncRNAs belonging to two classes of ncRNAs, the nucleoplasmic spliceosomal snRNAs and the nucleolar and Cajal body-specific box C/D 2'-O-methylation guide RNAs. The U1 snRNP is an evolutionarily conserved, abundant nucleoplasmic snRNP that plays a central role in pre-mRNA splicing. According to a recently emerging view, besides its constitutive role in splicing, the U1 snRNP has important regulatory functions in different steps of pre-mRNA production. We demonstrated that a fraction of the human U1 snRNA specifically associates with the nuclear RNA-binding protein TAF15 that is known to interact with a subpopulation of TFIID and RNA polymerase II complexes. The U1-TAF15 snRNP is structurally and functionally distinct from the well-characterized U1 spliceosomal snRNP and it tightly associates with chromatin. The function of U1-TAF15 snRNP remains unknown; it might contribute to the coupling of transcription and splicing. WDR79 (also called WRAP53) has been recently identified as an essential factor for targeting a subclass of box C/D and H/ACA modification guide RNAs, as well as telomerase H/ACA RNA, into the Cajal bodies. Accumulation of box C/D and H/ACA RNPs in Cajal bodies is essential for the biogenesis of functional spliceosomal snRNPs and telomere synthesis. Co-immunopurification of WDR79-associated human RNAs, followed by cDNA synthesis and deep sequencing identified a large number of novel Cajal body-specific RNAs. We are currently dissecting the cis-acting RNA element responsible for WDR79-binding and for targeting box C/D 2'-O-methylation guide RNPs into Cajal bodies. We have also identified a novel Cajal body-specific 2'-O-methylation guide RNA that is predicted to direct methylation of cytidine 34 at the Wobble position of tRNA-Met-CAT elongator. Interestingly, tRNA modification is a novel function for vertebrate box C/D scaRNPs.