Specific contacts between mammalian U7 snRNA and histone precursor RNA are indispensable for the in vitro 3' RNA processing reaction.

The EMBO journal ·Vol. 7 ·No. 3 ·1988-03-00 ·Pages 801-8

Cotten M, Gick O, Vasserot A, Schaffner G, Birnstiel ML

Abstract

We have made a detailed molecular analysis of the reactions leading to the formation of mature 3' ends in mammalian histone mRNAs. Using two analytical protocols we have identified an essential sequence motif in the downstream spacer which is consistently present, albeit in diffuse form, mammalian histone genes. Tampering with this sequence element completely abolishes 3' processing. However, 3' cleavage in vitro, although at a very much reduced rate, can be detected when the conserved hairpin is deleted from histone precursor mRNAs. U7 snRNA, previously shown to be essential for the maturation of sea urchin histone messages, was isolated from murine cells and the sequence was determined. The approximately 63-nucleotide, trimethyl-G-capped, murine U7 snRNA possesses a sequence shown in the sea urchin U7 to be required for Sm-precipitability, and like the sea urchin U7, the 3' end of murine U7 is encased in a hairpin structure. The 5' sequence of murine U7 exhibits extensive sequence complementarity to the conserved downstream motif of the histone precursor. As expected, oligo-nucleotide-directed RNase H cleavage of this portion of murine U7 inhibits the in vitro processing reaction. These experiments identify a set of specific contacts between mammalian U7 and histone precursor RNA which is indispensable for the maturation reaction.

MeSH Terms

Animals Base Sequence DNA/metabolism Histones/genetics,metabolism In Vitro Techniques Mice Molecular Conformation RNA Precursors/metabolism RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional RNA, Small Nuclear/metabolism Sea Urchins Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid

Chemicals

Histones RNA Precursors RNA, Small Nuclear DNA

Authors & Affiliations

5 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID

Cotten M

Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna, Austria.

Gick O

Vasserot A

Schaffner G

Birnstiel M L

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30 references, click to expand

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Article Info

Journal

The EMBO journal

Abbr.

EMBO J

ISSN

0261-4189

Published

1988-03-00

Pages

801-8

Language

English

Region

England

NLM ID

8208664

PMCID

PMC454395

Subset

Databases

GENBANK

X07182, X07183

External Links

PubMed source PMC Full Text View journal details

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Specific contacts between mammalian U7 snRNA and histone precursor RNA are indispensable for the in vitro 3' RNA processing reaction.

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