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Modification in nucleocytoplasmic transport of RNA in vitro after whole-body X-irradiation.

Rats were sacrificed at different times after injection of 14C-orotate and liver nuclei were isolated and incubated in a cell-free system made of soluble cytoplasmic fraction from non-irradiated rat livers. The release of ribonucleoproteins from labelled nuclei to the incubation medium was measured on nuclei from normal and total-body irradiated rats (500 to 2000 R). When using short labelling times in vivo (30 min), which would label predominantly messenger-type RNP, the nuclear transport activity was depressed at early times (3 h) after whole-body irradiation, but increased at later times (24 h). When the labelling time in vivo is increased to 2 h, no significant difference was observed between control and irradiated groups. Transport of the stable ribosomal-type RNP, observed 24 h after both labelling and irradiation, was depressed. These results are discussed in view of previous personal studies on radiation effect on liver RNA synthesis and polyribosomes formation in vivo.

Animals↗

Spore coat protein of Bacillus subtilis. Structure and precursor synthesis.

The coat protein of Bacillus subtilis spores comprises about 10% of the total dry weight of spores and 25% of the total spore protein. One protein with a molecular weight of 13,000 to 15,000 comprises a major portion of the spore coat. This mature spore coat protein has histidine at its NH2 terminus and is relatively rich in hydrophobic amino acids. Netropsin, and antibiotic which binds to A-T-rich regions of DNA and inhibits sporulation, but not growth, decreased the synthesis of this spore coat protein by 75%. A precursor spore coat protein with a molecular weight of 25,000 is made initially at t1 of sporulation and is converted to the mature spore coat protein with a molecular weight of 13,500 at t2 - t3. These data indicate that the spore coat protein gene is expressed very early in sporulation prior to the modifications of RNA polymerase which have been noted.

Amino Acids↗

A novel partial modification at C2501 in Escherichia coli 23S ribosomal RNA.

Escherichia coli is the best-characterized organism with respect to posttranscriptional modifications of its ribosomal RNA (rRNA). It is presently believed that all the modified nucleotides have been identified, primarily on the basis of two detection methods; modification-induced inhibition of the enzyme reverse transcriptase or analysis by combined HPLC and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Comparison of data from these different approaches reveals a disagreement regarding modification of C2501 in E. coli 23S rRNA. A. Bakin and J. Ofengand previously reported the detection of a modification at this site based on a reverse transcriptase assay. J.A. McCloskey and coworkers could not confirm the existence of such a modification using an electrospray ionization mass spectrometry approach. C2501 is therefore generally considered unmodified. We have used a strategy involving isolation of a specific rRNA fragment from E. coli 23S rRNA followed by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry to investigate this controversy. Our data reveal a novel 16-Da partial modification at C2501. We believe that the data reported here clarify the above discrepancy, because a minor partial modification detected in a reverse transcriptase assay would not necessarily be detected by the original mass spectrometry approach. The level of modification was furthermore monitored in different growth situations, and we found a significant positive regulation in stationary phase cells. C2501 is universally conserved and implicated in structure folds very close to the catalytic center of the ribosome. Moreover, several antibiotics bind to nucleotides in this region, which altogether make a modification at this site interesting.

Base Sequence↗

Phosphorylation of rat C6 glioma cell DNA-dependent RNA polymerase II in vivo. Identification of phosphorylated subunits and modulation of phosphorylation by isoproterenol and N6,O2'-dibutyryl cyclic AMP.

Evidence is presented that isoproterenol treatment of rat C6 glioma cells, under conditions that increase glioma cell cAMP levels, causes the phosphorylative modification of several RNA polymerase II subunits. RNA polymerase II in control and isoproterenol-stimulated 32Pi-labeled confluent glioma cells was immunoprecipitated from ribonuclease-treated nuclear extracts with hen anti-calf RNA polymerase II antiserum conjugated to Sepharose. The immunoprecipitated RNA polymerase II was analyzed for 32P-labeled subunits by electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. Using this technique, we have shown that isoproterenol causes a time-dependent increase of phosphate incorporation into RNA polymerase II subunits of 214,000, 180,000, 140,000, 35,000, 28,000, and 16,500 daltons. Phosphate incorporation occurred exclusively on serine in all of the six subunits. About 0.5-2 mol of phosphate/mol of RNA polymerase II subunit were incorporated. Dibutyryl cAMP (10(-3)M) mimics the stimulatory action of isoproterenol and mediates increased phosphate incorporation into the six subunits. (RS)-propranolol (10(-4)M) prevents the isoproterenol-mediated phosphorylative changes. These data indicate that isoproterenol, via cAMP, mediates a transient structural modification of RNA polymerase II subunits in rat C6 glioma cells which may possibly lead to a modulation of RNA polymerase II function(s).

Amino Acids↗

[Study of phage T7 DNA-dependent RNA-polymerase using GTP analogs. Affinity modification and study of interaction with matrices using fluorescent markers].

Interactions of the bacteriophage T7 DNA-dependent RNA polymerase with three GTP analogs have been studied. All of the three analogs tested contained substituted naphthalenesulphamide groups and were shown to be under appropriate conditions irreversible covalent inhibitors of the enzyme, the modified enzyme possessing fluorescent properties. One of these analogs contained the reactive 2-bromoethyl phosphonate group and was shown to cause the loss of the enzyme affinity for polynucleotide templates. The other two modifiers which contained the azide reactive group did not alter the enzyme-template affinity, the polynucleotide binding leading to a notable increase of the enzyme fluorescence intensity. The latter two modifiers are supposed to be convenient for fluorescent labelling of the active site of RNA polymerase for enzyme-template binding studies.

Affinity Labels↗

Codon and amino-acid specificities of a transfer RNA are both converted by a single post-transcriptional modification.

An Escherichia coli isoleucine transfer RNA specific for the codon AUA (tRNA(2Ile) or tRNA(minorIle] has a novel modified nucleoside, lysidine in the first position of the anticodon (position 34), which is essential for the specific recognition of the codon AUA. We isolated the gene for tRNA(2Ile) (ileX) and found that the anticodon is CAT, which is characteristic of the methionine tRNA gene. Replacement of L(34) of tRNA(2Ile) molecule enzymatically with unmodified C(34) resulted in a marked reduction of the isoleucine-accepting activity and, surprisingly, in the appearance of methionine-accepting activity. Thus, both the codon and amino-acid specificity of this tRNA are converted by a single post-transcriptional modification of the first position of the anticodon during tRNA maturation.

Anticodon↗

Functional modification of liver form-B RNA polymerase activity by a protein fraction from rats accustomed to controlled feeding schedules.

A protein fraction extracted from the liver of rats accustomed to eating during the first 8 h of a daily 12 h dark period is able to increase homologous form-B RNA polymerase activity. When the protein factor is added to RNA polymerase extracted at the end of the daily fasted period (0.9:OOh) the sensitivity of enzyme to ionic strength is modified, and resembles that of the enzyme extracted during the eating period (15:00 h) either using liver deproteinized DNA or chromatin as template. The chromatin-bound RNA polymerase activity is also modified in the presence of the factor, showing a modification of enzyme sensitivity to ionic strength similar to the one induced by food intake.

Animals↗

Energy directed folding of RNA sequences.

A modification of Nussinov's algorithm (1) for (planar) secondary structure generation is described. Our algorithm postpones decisions on matches involving destabiling loops until they prove to be energetically more favourable than more local matches. We present, moreover, an alternative way of representing secondary structures which avoids unwarranted suggestions on higher order neighbourhood, can be automated easily, allows for any amount of annotation of the sequences, makes comparison of alternate foldings easy and is pleasing to the eye. 5S RNA sequences are used to illustrate the methods.

Base Sequence↗

Small nucleolar RNAs: versatile trans-acting molecules of ancient evolutionary origin.

The small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are an abundant class of trans-acting RNAs that function in ribosome biogenesis in the eukaryotic nucleolus. Elegant work has revealed that most known snoRNAs guide modification of pre-ribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA) by base pairing near target sites. Other snoRNAs are involved in cleavage of pre-rRNA by mechanisms that have not yet been detailed. Moreover, our appreciation of the cellular roles of the snoRNAs is expanding with new evidence that snoRNAs also target modification of small nuclear RNAs and messenger RNAs. Many snoRNAs are produced by unorthodox modes of biogenesis including salvage from introns of pre-mRNAs. The recent discovery that homologs of snoRNAs as well as associated proteins exist in the domain Archaea indicates that the RNA-guided RNA modification system is of ancient evolutionary origin. In addition, it has become clear that the RNA component of vertebrate telomerase (an enzyme implicated in cancer and cellular senescence) is related to snoRNAs. During its evolution, vertebrate telomerase RNA appears to have co-opted a snoRNA domain that is essential for the function of telomerase RNA in vivo. The unique properties of snoRNAs are now being harnessed for basic research and therapeutic applications.

Animals↗

Small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle assembly in vivo: demonstration of a 6S RNA-free core precursor and posttranslational modification.

The in vivo synthesis and assembly of human small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) have been studied using pulse/chase analysis. Antibodies derived from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) recognize distinguishable subsets of pulse-labeled snRNP peptides. These antibodies were used to immunoprecipitate sucrose gradient fractionated pulse-labeled and pulse/chased snRNP proteins. The results indicate that assembly of the U RNA-containing snRNPs is a multistep process involving prior assembly of an RNA-free 6S core particle. This precursor contains snRNP peptides D, E, F, and G, which are common to all the different U RNA-containing particles. Furthermore, a posttranslational modification of one of the U1 snRNP-specific peptides has been observed, and the kinetics of this process indicates that the modification occurs after particle assembly. Functional and structural implications of a protein core for snRNP particles are discussed.

Antibodies↗

Global effects on gene expression in fission yeast by silencing and RNA interference machineries.

Histone modifications influence gene expression in complex ways. The RNA interference (RNAi) machinery can repress transcription by recruiting histone-modifying enzymes to chromatin, although it is not clear whether this is a general mechanism for gene silencing or whether it requires repeated sequences such as long terminal repeats (LTRs). We analyzed the global effects of the Clr3 and Clr6 histone deacetylases, the Clr4 methyltransferase, the zinc finger protein Clr1, and the RNAi proteins Dicer, RdRP, and Argonaute on the transcriptome of Schizosaccharomyces pombe (fission yeast). The clr mutants derepressed similar subsets of genes, many of which also became transcriptionally activated in cells that were exposed to environmental stresses such as nitrogen starvation. Many genes that were repressed by the Clr proteins clustered in extended regions close to the telomeres. Surprisingly few genes were repressed by both the silencing and RNAi machineries, with transcripts from centromeric repeats and Tf2 retrotransposons being notable exceptions. We found no correlation between repression by RNAi and proximity to LTRs, and the wtf family of repeated sequences seems to be repressed by histone deacetylation independent of RNAi. Our data indicate that the RNAi and Clr proteins show only a limited functional overlap and that the Clr proteins play more global roles in gene silencing.

Cell Cycle Proteins↗

Purification of RNA 3'-terminal phosphate cyclase from HeLa cells. Covalent modification of the enzyme with different nucleotides.

RNA 3'-terminal phosphate cyclase has been purified about 6000-fold to near homogeneity from HeLa cells. The purified protein is a single polypeptide with an Mr of 38,000-40,000 and a Stokes radius of 2.66 nm. The cyclase shows a pH optimum of 8.0-9.0. In the presence of Mg2+ and ATP this enzyme catalyzes the conversion of a 3'-phosphate group into the cyclic 2',3'-phosphodiester at the 3' end of RNA, through formation of a covalent cyclase-AMP intermediate. GTP, CTP and UTP (but not dATP or ADP) can also function as cofactors in the cyclization reaction, although less efficiently (apparent Km values for ATP and GTP are 6 microM and 200 microM, respectively). Consistent with this, the enzyme can be covalently labelled with the four [alpha-32P]NTPs.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Telomerase RNA level limits telomere maintenance in X-linked dyskeratosis congenita.

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) patients suffer a progressive and ultimately fatal loss of hematopoietic renewal correlating with critically short telomeres. The predominant X-linked form of DC results from substitutions in dyskerin, a protein required both for ribosomal RNA (rRNA) pseudouridine modification and for cellular accumulation of telomerase RNA (TER). Accordingly, alternative models have posited that the exhaustion of cellular renewal in X-linked DC arises as a primary consequence of ribosome deficiency or telomerase deficiency. Here we test, for the first time, whether X-linked DC patient cells are compromised for telomerase function at telomeres. We show that telomerase activation in family-matched control cells allows telomere elongation and telomere length maintenance, while telomerase activation in X-linked DC patient cells fails to prevent telomere erosion with proliferation. Furthermore, we demonstrate by phenotypic rescue that telomere defects in X-linked DC patient cells arise solely from reduced accumulation of TER. We also show that X-linked DC patient cells averted from premature senescence support normal levels of rRNA pseudouridine modification and normal kinetics of rRNA precursor processing, in contrast with phenotypes reported for a proposed mouse model of the human disease. These findings support the significance of telomerase deficiency in the pathology of X-linked DC.

Animals↗

[Approach to identifying the functionally important segments of RNA, based on complementation-addressed modification].

An approach based on complementation-addressed modification of nucleic acids by oligodeoxyribonucleotide derivatives was proposed for changing the spatial structure of particular RNA sites in order to study their role in the biological activity of the total RNA molecule. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) IRES was used as a model. Oligodeoxyribonucleotide derivatives contained a 4-[N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-methylamino]benzylamino group at the 5'-P and were complementary to various RNA sites located in regions of hairpins II, IIId, or IIIe. Covalent adducts resulting from RNA alkylation with the derivatives were isolated by denaturing PAGE and tested for binding with the 40S subunit of human ribosomes. Structural alteration of hairpin II had no effect, whereas alteration of hairpin IIIe substantially reduced the binding. The RNA with modified hairpin IIId showed virtually no binding with the 40S subunit. Hairpin IIId was assumed to play a critical role in the binding of HCV IRES with the 40S subunit.

Base Sequence↗

Surface plasmon resonance kinetic studies of the HIV TAR RNA kissing hairpin complex and its stabilization by 2-thiouridine modification.

Surface plasmon resonance (BIACORE) was used to determine the kinetic values for formation of the HIV TAR-TAR* ('kissing hairpin') RNA complex. The TAR component was also synthesized with the modified nucleoside 2-thiouridine at position 7 in the loop and the kinetics and equilibrium dissociation constants compared with the unmodified TAR hairpin. The BIACORE data show an equilibrium dissociation constant of 1.58 nM for the complex containing the s(2)U modified TAR hairpin, which is 8-fold lower than for the parent hairpin (12.5 nM). This is a result of a 2-fold faster k(a) (4.14x10(5) M(-1) s(-1) versus 2.1x10(5) M(-1) s(-1)) and a 4-fold slower k(d) (6.55x10(-4) s(-1) versus 2.63x10(-3) s(-1)). (1)H NMR imino spectra show that the secondary structure interactions involved in complex formation are retained in the s(2)U-modified complex. Magnesium has been reported to significantly stabilize the TAR-TAR* complex and we found that Mn(2+) and Ca(2+) are also strongly stabilizing, while Mg(2+) exhibited the greatest effect on the complex kinetics. The stabilizing effects of 2-thiouridine indicate that this base modification may be generally useful as an antisense RNA modification for oligonucleotide therapeutics which target RNA loops.

Calcium↗

De novo initiation of RNA synthesis by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (NS5B) of hepatitis C virus.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B protein possesses an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) activity, a major function responsible for replication of the viral RNA genome. To further characterize the RdRp activity, NS5B proteins were expressed from recombinant baculoviruses, purified to near homogeneity, and examined for their ability to synthesize RNA in vitro. As a result, a highly active NS5B RdRp (1b-42), which contains an 18-amino acid C-terminal truncation resulting from a newly created stop codon, was identified among a number of independent isolates. The RdRp activity of the truncated NS5B is comparable to the activity of the full-length protein and is 20 times higher in the presence of Mn(2+) than in the presence of Mg(2+). When a 384-nucleotide RNA was used as the template, two major RNA products were synthesized by 1b-42. One is a complementary RNA identical in size to the input RNA template (monomer), while the other is a hairpin dimer RNA synthesized by a "copy-back" mechanism. Substantial evidence derived from several experiments demonstrated that the RNA monomer was synthesized through de novo initiation by NS5B rather than by a terminal transferase activity. Synthesis of the RNA monomer requires all four ribonucleotides. The RNA monomer product was verified to be the result of de novo RNA synthesis, as two expected RNA products were generated from monomer RNA by RNase H digestion. In addition, modification of the RNA template by the addition of the chain terminator cordycepin at the 3' end did not affect synthesis of the RNA monomer but eliminated synthesis of the self-priming hairpin dimer RNA. Moreover, synthesis of RNA on poly(C) and poly(U) homopolymer templates by 1b-42 NS5B did not require the oligonucleotide primer at high concentrations (>/=50 microM) of GTP and ATP, further supporting a de novo initiation mechanism. These findings suggest that HCV NS5B is able to initiate RNA synthesis de novo.

Animals↗

Translating RNA interference into therapies for human disease.

RNA interference (RNAi) represents one of the most promising new frontiers in drug discovery. Breakthroughs in understanding RNA's extensive natural role in essential cellular processes have opened up the potential for a whole new class of drugs based on RNAi. Harnessing the natural process of RNAi, short, double-stranded RNA molecules are able to inhibit expression of genes in a sequence-specific manner. By targeting disease-causing genes, RNAi drugs have the potential to be more selective than traditional drugs, and thus more effective as well as less toxic. Over the past few years, important strides have been made in translating the promise of RNAi into therapies for human disease. In contrast to the extensive lead optimization steps typically required in small-molecule and protein drug discovery, RNAi drug candidates can be identified using bioinformatics to select sequences complementary to the target mRNA. The process of selecting an RNAi-based drug candidate may simply involve the synthesis and testing of a relatively small number of short double strands (duplexes) of RNA, incorporating chemical modifications that confer stability and direct these RNA duplexes to the appropriate tissues and cells, and/or formulating these RNA duplexes with appropriate delivery agents to achieve the same goals. As advances in RNAi therapeutics continue, the decades to come should bring a potent new class of drugs based on RNAi.

Animals↗

Phenotype of non-syndromic deafness associated with the mitochondrial A1555G mutation is modulated by mitochondrial RNA modifying enzymes MTO1 and GTPBP3.

Phenotypic expression of the deafness-associated mitochondrial A1555G mutation in the 12S rRNA gene is influenced by aminoglycosides and complex inheritance of nuclear-encoded modifier genes. The position of a major nuclear modifier gene has been localized to chromosome 8p23.1, but the identification of this gene has remained elusive. Recently, we identified a second modifier gene, mitochondrial transcription factor B1 (TFB1M), involved in mitochondrial rRNA modification. In the present study, we tested three genes involved in mitochondrial tRNA or rRNA modification, and two genes associated with non-syndromic deafness, for linkage and linkage disequilibrium (LD) in 214 DNA samples from Spanish, Italian, and Arab-Israeli families with maternally inherited non-syndromic hearing loss. The multipoint non-parametric linkage analysis and transmission disequilibrium test testing were done using all families combined as well as divided based on linkage to the chromosome 8 locus and ethnicity. Two genes, MTO1 and GTPBP3, showed strongly suggestive linkage and significant LD results. Since both genes, as well as TFB1M, are involved in the process of mitochondrial RNA modification, it appears that the modification of mitochondrial RNA is an important regulatory pathway in the phenotypic expression of the deafness-associated mitochondrial A1555G mutation. This conclusion was supported by comparing linkage results of simulated genotypes with actual results for the four genes involved in mitochondrial RNA modification.

Carrier Proteins↗