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Evidence for a ribonucleoprotein complex as a template for microtubule initiation in vivo.

At the onset of mitosis in cultured mammalian cells, the centriolar region rapidly initiates the assembly of microtubules (MT) to form two asters which ultimately forms the basis of the mitotic spindle. The rapid change in the centrosphere's ability to nucleate MTs at prometaphase maybe due to the presence of an RNase sensitive component. Lysis of colcemid-blocked mitotic cells with RNase A or T2 prior to addition of exogenous microtubule protein greatly diminishes the number of MT that can be nucleated in a lysed cell system. MT initiation can also be reduced or abolished by extended lysis in neutral buffers or brief lysis in acidic buffers. This suggests that the RNA component maybe complexed with a protein to serve as a template for MT initiation at the onset of mitosis.

Animals↗

Beta-catenin associates with human parainfluenza virus type 3 ribonucleoprotein complex and activates transcription of viral genome RNA in vitro.

Several studies have indicated that human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV-3) requires polymeric actin for transcription of its genome RNA in vitro and in vivo. In the current study, we have identified beta-catenin, an actin-bound protein, as one of the transcriptional activators for HPIV-3 genome RNA. Beta-catenin was packaged within the purified HPIV-3 virions and was associated with the HPIV-3 ribonucleoproteins (RNP) from infected cells. Moreover, purified beta-catenin interacted with bacterially expressed HPIV-3 nucleocapsid protein (N) and phosphoprotein (P) fused to glutathione S-transferase (GST). Double-labeled immunofluorescent confocal microscopic analysis revealed colocalization of beta-catenin with HPIV-3 RNP at cell periphery in infected cells. The HPIV-3 RNP-associated beta-catenin functioned as a transactivator of HPIV-3 genome, because purified beta-catenin stimulated transcription of viral RNP in an in vitro transcription assay. These results demonstrate that beta-catenin, a multifunctional protein that is involved in cell-cell adhesion and embryogenesis, acts as one of the transcriptional activators of HPIV-3 genome RNA.

Cytoskeletal Proteins↗

Essential domains for ribonucleoprotein complex formation required for retrotransposition of telomere-specific non-long terminal repeat retrotransposon SART1.

Non-long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons are major components of the higher eukaryotic genome. Most of them have two open reading frames (ORFs): ORF2 encodes mainly the endonuclease and reverse transcriptase domains, but the functional features of ORF1 remain largely unknown. We used telomere-specific non-LTR retrotransposon SART1 in Bombyx mori and clarified essential roles of the ORF1 protein (ORF1p) in ribonucleoprotein (RNP) formation by novel approaches: in vitro reconstitution and in vivo/in vitro retrotransposition assays using the baculovirus expression system. Detailed mutation analyses showed that each of the three CCHC motifs at the ORF1 C terminus are essential for SART1 retrotransposition and are involved in packaging the SART1 mRNA specifically into RNP. We also demonstrated that amino acid residues 555 to 567 and 285 to 567 in the SART1 ORF1p are crucial for the ORF1p-ORF1p and ORF1p-ORF2p interactions, respectively. The loss of these domains abolishes protein-protein interaction, leading to SART1 retrotransposition deficiency. These data suggest that systematic formation of RNP composed of ORF1p, ORF2p, and mRNA is mainly mediated by ORF1p domains and is a common, essential step for many non-LTR retrotransposons encoding the two ORFs.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

Crystallography of halophilic ribosome: the isolation of an internal ribonucleoprotein complex.

Crystals of 50S ribosomal subunits from Haloarcula marismortui diffracting to 2.9 A resolution were grown. Because of their large unit cells and the extremely weak diffracting power, almost all X-ray crystallographic analysis of these crystals must be performed with intense synchrotron radiation. At ambient temperature, all ribosomal crystals decay upon the first instance of X-irradiation. To overcome this severe sensitivity, procedures for data collection at cryo temperature were developed. Under these conditions the crystals can be irradiated for periods sufficient for the collection of more than one data set from an individual crystal (days or weeks) with no observable damage. They also can be stored for months, to resume interrupted measurements. To assist the interpretation of the anticipated electron density map, a specific internal nucleoprotein complex of protein HmaL1 and a stretch of H23S rRNA was isolated from the halophilic ribosome. The fragments of the 23S rRNA protected by the protein from nuclease digestion were sequenced. Alignment of the sequences of some archaebacterial L1-specific RNA fragments to the corresponding parts of eubacterial and eukaryotic rDNAs, localized the sequence identities to two distinct regions. Chimeric complexes were reconstituted with the corresponding E. coli ribosomal components, indicating a rather high homology, despite the evolution distance. A feasible secondary structure of the rRNA stretch participating in this complex was found to be compatible with the one proposed for the corresponding part in the E. coli ribosomal RNA.

Base Sequence↗

In vitro inhibition of tubulin assembly by a ribonucleoprotein complex associated with the free ribosome fraction isolated from Xenopus laevis oocytes: effect at the level of microtubule-associated proteins.

The 100 000 X g supernatant prepared from defolliculated Xenopus laevis oocytes inhibits, in a dose-dependent manner, the in vitro polymerization of rat brain neurotubulin. The oocyte inhibitory factor is thermolabile, totally inactivated by RNAse and partially by trypsin. A preliminary purification of the inhibitor showed that it is associated with the free oocyte ribosomes (80 S). The saturable binding of microtubule-associated proteins, essentially MAP2, to this 80 S ribonucleoprotein fraction is responsible for the inhibition of the in vitro tubulin assembly.

Animals↗

The participation of 5S rRNA in the co-translational formation of a eukaryotic 5S ribonucleoprotein complex.

The eukaryotic ribosomal 5S RNA-protein complex (5S rRNP) is formed by a co-translational event that requires 5S rRNA binding to the nascent peptide chain of eukaryotic ribosomal protein L5. Binding between 5S rRNA and the nascent chain is specific: neither the 5S rRNA nor the nascent chain of L5 protein can be substituted by other RNAs or other ribosomal proteins. The region responsible for binding 5S rRNA is located at positions 35-50 with amino acid sequence RLVIQDIKNKYNTPKYRM. Eukaryotic 5S rRNA binds a nascent chain having this sequence, but such binding is not substantive enough to form a 5S-associated RNP complex, suggesting that 5S rRNA binding to the nascent chain is amino acid sequence dependent and that formation of the 5S rRNP complex is L5 protein specific. Microinjection of 5S rRNP complex into the cytoplasm of Xenopus oocytes results in both an increase in the initial rate and also in the extent of net nuclear import of L5. This suggests that the 5S rRNP complex enhances nuclear transport of L5. We propose that 5S rRNA plays a chaperone-like role in folding of the nascent chain of L5 and directs L5 into a 5S rRNP complex for nuclear entry.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗

Poliovirus infection enhances the formation of two ribonucleoprotein complexes at the 3' end of viral negative-strand RNA.

To identify proteins involved in the formation of replication complexes at the 3' end of poliovirus negative-strand RNA, a combined in vitro biochemical and in vivo genetic approach was used. Five subgenomic cDNA constructs were generated to transcribe different negative-strand RNA fragments. In UV cross-linking assays, distinct differences in binding of proteins in extracts from poliovirus-infected and uninfected cells to virus-specific, radiolabeled transcripts were observed. Two proteins present in extracts from poliovirus-infected cells with approximate molecular masses of 36 and 38 kDa were shown to cross-link to the 3' end of poliovirus negative-strand RNA. Appearance of the 36- and 38-kDa proteins in UV cross-linking assays can be detected 3 to 3.5 h after infection, and cross-linking reaches maximum levels by 5 h after infection. The binding site for the 36-kDa protein overlaps with the computer-predicted loop b region of stem-loop I, the so-called cloverleaf structure, and the RNA sequence of this region is required for efficient binding. Transfection of full-length, positive-sense RNA containing a five-nucleotide substitution (positions 20 to 25) in the loop b region of stem-loop I into tissue culture cells yielded only viral isolates with a reversion at position 24 (U-->C). This finding demonstrates that the wild-type cytidine residue at position 24 is essential for virus replication. RNA binding studies with transcripts corresponding to the 3' end of negative-strand RNA suggest that complex formation with the 36-kDa protein plays an essential role during the viral life cycle.

Base Sequence↗

Ribonucleoprotein complex formation by the human hepatitis B virus polymerase.

Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) polymerase (pol or RT), when expressed in Xenopus oocytes upon injection of synthetic minimal pol RNA (RT RNA), assembles into a higher molecular weight complex with the characteristics of a ribonuclear protein (RNP) complex. In vitro RNA competition binding data suggest that RT RNA is preferentially packaged into this complex even though it lacks the authentic viral encapsidation signal, epsilon, and viral capsid protein sequences. Consistent with this finding, the in vitro polymerase reaction performed in pol-expressing oocyte extracts generates primarily HBV-specific DNAs even when the pol template is challenged with a coinjected non-HBV competitor RNA. These results suggest that interaction between pol and its cognate RNA can be mediated by sequences other than the known packaging elements. We speculate that HBV RNP complexes containing at least polymerase and viral RNA may play a role in viral nucleocapsid assembly and may help to segregate HBV reverse transcription from the cellular milieu in vivo.

Animals↗

[Nuclear and cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein complexes of normal mouse liver cells, Guelstein hepatomas 22A and 48 and of liver of tumor-bearing animals].

Nuclear and cytoplasmic RNP complexes obtained from normal mouse liver cells, Guelstein hepatomas of different degrees of malignancy (22A and 48) as well as from liver of tumor-bearing mice were subjected to chromatography on a celite column (NPC--chromatography). In addition cytoplasmic RNP complexes were centrifuged in sucrose and CsCl density gradients. The results of the NPC-chromatography indicate that nuclear rapidly labelled RNA species of all tissues under study are constituents of the two main types of RNP particles differing from each other by the tightness of RNA-protein bonds. No precursor-product relationship could be revealed between the above types of RNP-particles of nucleus, labelled under conditions of a partial Actinomycin D block. Rapidly labelled nonribosomal cytoplasmic RNAs represent constituents of RNP-particles resembling nuclear ones in their degree of heterogeneity and chromatographic position. Sedimentation analysis of cytoplasmic RNP-particles from tumours showed an increase in relative proportion of monoribosomes and informosomes (free non-ribosomal cytosol RNP-complexes) at the expense of polyribosomes and mRNP complexes. Thus, the liver cells of experimental tumour-bearing animals undergo changes (although not very well-defined), typical for tumour cells.

Animals↗

Native gel analysis of ribonucleoprotein complexes from a Leishmania tarentolae mitochondrial extract.

Two polypeptides of 50 and 45 kDa were adenylated by incubation of a mitochondrial extract from Leishmania tarentolae with [alpha-32P]ATP. These proteins were components of a complex that sedimented at 20S in glycerol gradients and migrated as a single band of approximately 1800 kDa in a native gel. The facts that RNA ligase activity cosedimented at 20S and that the ATP-labeled p45 and p50 polypeptides were deadenylated upon incubation with a ligatable RNA substrate suggested that these proteins may represent charged intermediates of a mitochondrial RNA ligase. Hybridization of native gel blots with guide RNA (gRNA) probes showed the presence of gRNA in the previously identified T-IV complexes that sedimented in glycerol at 10S and contained terminal uridylyl transferase (TUTase) activity, and also in a previously unidentified class of heterodisperse complexes that sedimented throughout the gradient. gRNAs were not detected in the p45 + p50-containing 1800 kDa complex. The heterodisperse gRNA-containing complexes were sensitive to incubation at 27 degrees C and appear to represent complexes of T-IV subunits with mRNA. Polyclonal antiserum to a 70 kDa protein that purified with terminal uridylyl transferase activity was generated, and the antiserum was used to show that this p70 polypeptide was a component of both the T-IV and the heterodisperse gRNA-containing complexes. We propose that the p45 + p50-containing 1800 kDa complex and the p70 + gRNA-containing heterodisperse complexes interact in the editing process. Further characterization of these various complexes should increase our knowledge of the biochemical mechanisms involved in RNA editing.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

Trypanosoma brucei mitochondrial ribonucleoprotein complexes which contain 12S and 9S ribosomal RNAs.

Antibiotics have been widely used to identify ribosomal activity in Trypanosoma brucei mitochondria. The validity of some of the results has been questioned because the permeability of the trypanosome cell membrane for some antibiotics was not adequately addressed. Here we describe translation inhibition experiments with digitonin-permeabilized trypanosomes to exclude diffusion barriers through the cell membrane. Using this system we were able to confirm, next to the eukaryotic and thus cycloheximide-sensitive translation system, the existence of a prokaryotic-type translational activity being cycloheximide resistant, chloramphenicol sensitive and streptomycin dependent. We interpret this observation analogous to what has been found for other eukarya as the independent protein synthesis activity of the mitochondrial organelle. We further examined the putative translational apparatus by using isokinetic density-gradient analysis of mitochondrial extracts. The 2 mitochondrially encoded rRNAs, the 9S and 12S rRNAs, were found to co-fractionate in a single RNP complex, approximately 80S in size. This complex disassembled at reduced MgCl2 concentrations into 2 unusually small complexes of 17.5S, containing the 9S rRNA, and 20S containing the 12S rRNA. A preliminary stoichiometry determination suggested a multicopy assembly of these putative subunits in a 2:3 ratio (20S:17.5S).

Animals↗

RNA-protein interactions promote asymmetric sorting of the ASH1 mRNA ribonucleoprotein complex.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, ASH1 mRNA is localized to the tip of daughter cells during anaphase of the cell cycle. ASH1 mRNA localization is dependent on four cis-acting localization elements as well as Myo4p, She2p, and She3p. Myo4p, She2p, and She3p are hypothesized to form a heterotrimeric protein complex that directly transports ASH1 mRNA to daughter cells. She2p is an RNA-binding protein that directly interacts with ASH1 cis-acting localization elements and associates with She3p. Here we report the identification of seven She2p mutants-N36S, R43A, R44A, R52A, R52K, R63A, and R63K-that result in the delocalization of ASH1 mRNA. These mutants are defective for RNA-binding activity but retain the ability to interact with She3p, indicating that a functional She2p RNA-binding domain is not a prerequisite for association with She3p. Furthermore, the nuclear/cytoplasmic distribution for the N36S and R63K She2p mutants is not altered, indicating that nuclear/cytoplasmic trafficking of She2p is independent of RNA-binding activity. Using the N36S and R63K She2p mutants, we observed that in the absence of She2p RNA-binding activity, neither Myo4p nor She3p is asymmetrically sorted to daughter cells. However, in the absence of She2p, Myo4p and She3p can be asymmetrically segregated to daughter cells by artificially tethering mRNA to She3p, implying that the transport and/or anchoring of the Myo4p/She3p complex is dependent on the presence of associated mRNA.

DNA-Binding Proteins↗

Messenger ribonucleoprotein complexes containing human ELAV proteins: interactions with cytoskeleton and translational apparatus.

Mammalian ELAV proteins bind to polyadenylated messenger RNAs and have specificity for AU-rich sequences. Preferred binding sites in vitro include the AUUUA pentamer and related sequences present in the 3' untranslated regions of many growth regulatory mRNAs. Human ELAV (hELAV) proteins have been implicated in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by their effects on the stability and translatability of growth regulatory mRNAs. We have examined the intracellular localization of ELAV proteins in neurons and in tumor cells of neuronal origin using indirect immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy and biochemical separation. Mammalian neuronal ELAV proteins are found predominantly in the cytoplasm of cells in mRNP complexes termed alpha complexes which, when associated with polysomes, form large and high density ss complexes, as assayed by glycerol and accudenz gradients, respectively. Puromycin, cytochalasin or EDTA treatments disrupt beta complexes causing the release of alpha complexes, which then appear, by confocal microscopy, as large hELAV mRNP granules associated with microtubules. Association of partially purified hELAV mRNP alpha complexes with microtubules was confirmed by in vitro reconstitution assays. Furthermore, colchicine treatment of cells suggested that association of hELAV mRNP alpha complexes with microtubules is also necessary for the formation of ss complexes. Our data suggest a model in which a subset of mRNAs is associated with microtubules as ELAV mRNP particles (alpha complexes) which, in turn, associate with polysomes to form a translational apparatus (beta complex) that is, through polysomes, associated with the microfilament cytoskeletal network. hELAV proteins in these mRNP granules may affect post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression via the intracellular transport, localization and/or translation of growth regulatory mRNAs.

Cytoskeleton↗

Cytoplasmic nonpolysomal ribonucleoprotein complexes and translational control.

In this article, we discuss our attempts to establish the existence in the cytoplasm of regulatory molecules involved in translational control. Our studies have revealed the presence of cAMP independent protein kinase in the free mRNP complex capable of phosphorylating a Mr = 38 000 polypeptide, also part of the same complex. Both the kinase and the acceptor protein were found also as free proteins in the cytoplasmic pool. This kinase has been shown to be distinct from the heme regulated enzyme that phosphorylates the small subunit of eIF-2. Other regulatory molecules include small molecular weight RNAs found as part of an RNP complex. A 4S fraction isolated from this complex inhibited the translation of both capped and uncapped mRNAs in a cell-free protein synthesizing system. The biological role of the protein kinase and the 4S RNA fraction is considered.

Animals↗

Identification of autoantibodies to the I protein of the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein complex in patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the presence of autoantibodies to the 1 protein (polypyrimidine-tract binding protein) of the heterogeneous nuclear RNPs (hnRNP) in different connective tissue diseases. Antibodies to other hnRNP proteins (A1, A2, and B) have been previously found in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). METHODS: Sera from 101 patients with various connective tissue diseases and 25 normal controls were investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblotting, for their reactivity to highly purified recombinant hnRNP I. Moreover, reactivity to cellular hnRNP I protein was investigated by immunoblotting using a partially purified preparation of hnRNP proteins (including A1, A2, B, and I), and by indirect immunofluorescence. For the analysis of the fluorescence pattern, affinity-purified antibodies to hnRNP I; obtained from a selected patient, were tested on HEp-2 cells. RESULTS: By immunoblotting, antibodies reacting to recombinant hnRNP I were found in 22 of 40 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), 3 of 32 with RA, 0 of 23 with SLE, and 0 of 6 with MCTD. Antibodies to recombinant hnRNP I were more frequently found in patients with pre-SSc or limited SSc (15 of 24) than in those with intermediate or diffuse SSc (7 of 16). In indirect immunofluorescence studies, affinity-purified anti-hnRNP I autoantibodies gave a diffuse nucleoplasmic staining. Using an hnRNP preparation from nuclear extracts, anti-hnRNP I reactivity was detectable in SSc sera, while it was not detectable in RA, SLE, and MCTD sera reacting with hnRNP A/B proteins. CONCLUSIONS: Human autoimmune sera show distinct patterns of anti-hnRNP reactivity, i.e., anti-A/B in SLE and RA sera, and anti-I in SSc sera. This suggests that A/B proteins and the I protein may be involved in different dynamic hnRNP complexes that elicit different autoimmune responses. From a clinical perspective, anti-hnRNP I antibodies are frequently associated with pre-SSc features, suggesting an early appearance of these antibodies during the course of the disease.

Autoantibodies↗

Isolation of a ribonucleoprotein complex involved in mRNA localization in Drosophila oocytes.

Localization of bicoid (bcd) mRNA to the anterior and oskar (osk) mRNA to the posterior of the Drosophila oocyte is critical for embryonic patterning. Previous genetic studies implicated exuperantia (exu) in bcd mRNA localization, but its role in this process is not understood. We have biochemically isolated Exu and show that it is part of a large RNase-sensitive complex that contains at least seven other proteins. One of these proteins was identified as the cold shock domain RNA-binding protein Ypsilon Schachtel (Yps), which we show binds directly to Exu and colocalizes with Exu in both the oocyte and nurse cells of the Drosophila egg chamber. Surprisingly, the Exu-Yps complex contains osk mRNA. This biochemical result led us to reexamine the role of Exu in the localization of osk mRNA. We discovered that exu-null mutants are defective in osk mRNA localization in both nurse cells and the oocyte. Furthermore, both Exu/Yps particles and osk mRNA follow a similar temporal pattern of localization in which they transiently accumulate at the oocyte anterior and subsequently localize to the posterior pole. We propose that Exu is a core component of a large protein complex involved in localizing mRNAs both within nurse cells and the developing oocyte.

Amino Acid Sequence↗