Alterations in the polypyrimidine sequence affect the in vitro splicing reactions catalyzed by HeLa cell-free preparations Journal Article


Authors: Freyer, G. A.; O'Brien, J. P.; Hurwitz, J.
Article Title: Alterations in the polypyrimidine sequence affect the in vitro splicing reactions catalyzed by HeLa cell-free preparations
Abstract: The polypyrimidine tract, located at the 3' end of intron 1 of the adenovirus major late transcript, was studied for its role in splicing using cell-free preparations isolated from HeLa cells. A plasmid (pIz) was constructed in which seven purine bases were substituted for pyrimidine bases within the 14-nucleotide polypyrimidine sequence. Runoff transcripts extending to the middle of intron 2 were tested for their ability to support in vitro splicing. The efficiency of these reactions was compared with pre-mRNA transcripts made from the wild-type nonmutated plasmid (p1-2). Neither spliced products nor splicing intermediates were detected in reactions with the pIz pre-mRNA. The formation of the nucleoprotein complexes involved in splicing was examined with this altered pre-mRNA. No 55 S splicing complex was detected and only low levels of the 30 S presplicing complex formed (30-fold less than with wild-type pre-mRNA). However, when a longer runoff transcript was prepared from the polypyrimidine mutated plasmid pIz, spliced RNA was formed. This activity required specific downstream sequences, since transcripts produced from pIz which contained substituted downstream sequences were not spliced. Although intron 2 of the adenovirus major late transcript does not contain a discernible 3' polypyrimidine sequence, pre-mRNA (p2-3) containing this intron was efficiently spliced. However, when the 3' region of intron 2 was substituted for the polypyrimidine sequence of intron 1, the resulting pre-mRNA did not support efficient splicing in vitro. However, when the polypyrimidine sequence of intron 1 was substituted for the sequence at the 3' end of intron 2, efficient splicing occurred, and the rate of formation of splicing intermediates and the accumulation of nucleoprotein complexes was greater than with the wild-type pre-mRNA (p2-3).
Keywords: human cell; mutation; nonhuman; introns; transcription, genetic; hela cells; pyrimidines; cell culture; virus rna; rna, messenger; plasmid; base sequence; radioisotope; catalysis; rna structure; rna splicing; adenovirus; cell-free system; adenoviruses, human; human; priority journal; support, non-u.s. gov't; support, u.s. gov't, non-p.h.s.
Journal Title: Journal of Biological Chemistry
Volume: 264
Issue: 25
ISSN: 0021-9258
Publisher: American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology  
Date Published: 1989-09-05
Start Page: 14631
End Page: 14637
Language: English
PUBMED: 2768237
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 14 April 2020 -- Source: Scopus
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. James O'Brien
    28 O'Brien
  2. Jerard Hurwitz
    206 Hurwitz