Nuclear pre-mRNA splicing is an essential step in eukaryotic gene expression and requires the assembly of a large, dynamic complex consisting of several small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and numerous proteins. Nuclear pre-mRNA splicing occurs via two concerted transesterification reaction in a manner that is mechanistically similar to the self-splicing of group II intron. Because the self-splicing of group II introns in vitro requires no nucleotide or protein cofactors, it is thought that nuclear pre-mRNA splicing is likely to be catalytic steps of splicing, and to determine their three-dimensional organization within the spliceosome. The goal of this proposal is to define conformational changes in, and higher order interaction of, the RNAs involved in catalysis of nuclear pre-mRNA splicing. Nuclear pre-mRNA splicing involves a large number of conformational changes in the snRNAs that may be facilitated by the interactions of RNAs binding proteins, RNA helicase, or other RNAs. Early in splicesome assembly, the U2 snRNA base paris with the intron branch site sequence. Subsequent base pairing of the U2 and U6 RNAs is then thought to juxtapose elements of these RNAs and the introns substrate for catalysis. However, the known interactions of the U2 and U6 snRNAs, and the pre-mRNA substrate are insufficient to properly bind and orient the branch site adenosine residue for its nucleophilic attack at the 5' splice site during the first step of splicing. The branch site adenosine is also at least indirectly involved in the second step of splicing, but its role in this step is poorly understood. Using methods for chemically probing RNA structure, the proposed research will identify dynamic conformational changes in the yeast snRNAs associated with splicesome assembly. Factors involved in the conformational changes will be identified biochemically using extracts prepared from mutants which arrest splicing complex assembly. Other factors involved will be identified by genetic analysis of U2 RNA mutants that accumulate a complex which is the precursor to the active splicesome. Higher order interactions involved in the proper positioning the pre-mRNA branch site adenosine for catalysis will be identified through reciprocal biochemical and genetic approaches. The results of these studies will significantly increase the understanding of the mechanism and dynamics of nuclear pre-mRNA splicing.
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