Premium
Formation of mRNA 3′ termini: stability and dissociation of a complex involving the AAUAAA sequence.
Author(s) -
Zarkower D.,
Wickens M.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb04736.x
Subject(s) - cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor , polyadenylation , cleavage factor , cleavage stimulation factor , biology , cleavage (geology) , post transcriptional modification , rna , messenger rna , precursor mrna , microbiology and biotechnology , directionality , biophysics , biochemistry , rna binding protein , rna splicing , gene , paleontology , fracture (geology)
Formation of the 3′ termini of mRNAs in animal cells involves endonucleolytic cleavage of a pre‐mRNA, followed by polyadenylation of the newly formed end. Here we demonstrate that, during cleavage in vitro, the highly conserved AAUAAA sequence of the pre‐mRNA forms a complex with a factor present in a crude nuclear extract. This complex is required for cleavage and polyadenylation. It normally is transient, but is very stable on cleaved RNA to which a single terminal cordycepin residue has been added. The complex can form either during the cleavage reaction, or on a synthetic RNA that ends at the polyadenylation site. Mutations which prevent cleavage also prevent complex formation. The complex dissociates during or after polyadenylation, enabling the released activities to catalyze a second round of cleavage.