We propose to continue our studies on the structure and expression of the actin genes of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We will now focus on actin messenger RNA (mRNA) processing and extend the work to include processing of other mRNAs. While studying the actin genes, we recently discovered that three of the four genes encode mRNAs that undergo an unusual reaction in which the 5' 22 nucleotides of the mRNAs are derived from a separate RNA molecule. Other mRNAs in C. elegans also undergo this trans-splicing reaction. We will study this phenomenon and its biological implications. We will elucidate the mechanism of trans-splicing of the actin mRNAs in C. elegans. We will characterize the actin mRNA precursors, the splice leader RNA precursor, and molecular intermediates. We will use in vitro splicing reactions to identify the components of the reaction, determine if separate trans-and cis- elements (snRNPs and spliceosomes) exist and cis-splicing is kept separate from trans-splicing we will identify other MRNAs that undergo the same transplicing reaction. We will investigate whether the splice leader confers mRNA stability, enhances translation, or localizes mRNAs. We will carry out experiments to determine whether similar splice leaders are acquired through trans-splicing in other eukaryotes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01GM037823-02
Application #
3293595
Study Section
Molecular Biology Study Section (MBY)
Project Start
1986-04-01
Project End
1993-03-31
Budget Start
1988-04-01
Budget End
1989-03-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1988
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Synergen, Inc.
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Boulder
State
CO
Country
United States
Zip Code
80301
Xie, H; Hirsh, D (1998) In vivo function of mutated spliced leader RNAs in Caenorhabditis elegans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 95:4235-40
Greenbaum, N L; Radhakrishnan, I; Hirsh, D et al. (1995) Determination of the folding topology of the SL1 RNA from Caenorhabditis elegans by multidimensional heteronuclear NMR. J Mol Biol 252:314-27
Saotome, Y; Winter, C G; Hirsh, D (1995) A widely expressed novel C2H2 zinc-finger protein with multiple consensus phosphorylation sites is conserved in mouse and man. Gene 152:233-8
Li, S C; Rothman, P B; Zhang, J et al. (1994) Expression of I mu-C gamma hybrid germline transcripts subsequent to immunoglobulin heavy chain class switching. Int Immunol 6:491-7
Huang, X Y; Hirsh, D (1992) RNA trans-splicing. Genet Eng (N Y) 14:211-29
Lee, Y H; Huang, X Y; Hirsh, D et al. (1992) Conservation of gene organization and trans-splicing in the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase-encoding genes of Caenorhabditis briggsae. Gene 121:227-35
Huang, X Y; Hirsh, D (1989) A second trans-spliced RNA leader sequence in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 86:8640-4
Krause, M; Wild, M; Rosenzweig, B et al. (1989) Wild-type and mutant actin genes in Caenorhabditis elegans. J Mol Biol 208:381-92
Bektesh, S L; Hirsh, D I (1988) C. elegans mRNAs acquire a spliced leader through a trans-splicing mechanism. Nucleic Acids Res 16:5692
Bektesh, S; Van Doren, K; Hirsh, D (1988) Presence of the Caenorhabditis elegans spliced leader on different mRNAs and in different genera of nematodes. Genes Dev 2:1277-83

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