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  • Spliced-leader RNA trans splicing in a chordate, Oikopleura dioica, with a compact genome.

Spliced-leader RNA trans splicing in a chordate, Oikopleura dioica, with a compact genome.

Molecular and cellular biology (2004-08-18)
Philippe Ganot, Torben Kallesøe, Richard Reinhardt, Daniel Chourrout, Eric M Thompson
ABSTRACT

trans splicing of a spliced-leader RNA (SL RNA) to the 5' ends of mRNAs has been shown to have a limited and sporadic distribution among eukaryotes. Within metazoans, only nematodes are known to process polycistronic pre-mRNAs, produced from operon units of transcription, into mature monocistronic mRNAs via an SL RNA trans-splicing mechanism. Here we demonstrate that a chordate with a highly compact genome, Oikopleura dioica, now joins Caenorhabditis elegans in coupling trans splicing with processing of polycistronic transcipts. We identified a single SL RNA which associates with Sm proteins and has a trimethyl guanosine cap structure reminiscent of spliceosomal snRNPs. The same SL RNA, estimated to be trans-spliced to at least 25% of O. dioica mRNAs, is used for the processing of both isolated or first cistrons and downstream cistrons in a polycistronic precursor. Remarkably, intercistronic regions in O. dioica are far more reduced than those in either nematodes or kinetoplastids, implying minimal cis-regulatory elements for coupling of 3'-end formation and trans splicing.

MATERIALS
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Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Anti-2,2,7-Trimethylguanosine Mouse mAb (K121) Agarose Conjugate, suspension (Liquid), clone K121, Calbiochem®