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A mutation in a single gene of Schizosaccharomyces pombe affects the expression of several snRNAs and causes defects in RNA processing.
Author(s) -
Potashkin J.,
Frendewey D.
Publication year - 1990
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.1460-2075.1990.tb08139.x
Subject(s) - schizosaccharomyces pombe , biology , rna , mutant , schizosaccharomyces , small nuclear rna , genetics , transfer rna , rnase p , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , non coding rna
A bank of temperature sensitive (ts‐) mutants of Schizosaccharomyces pombe was screened for snRNA expression mutants using an oligodeoxynucleotide that recognizes U2 RNA. One mutant with a novel phenotype was identified that has reduced steady‐state levels of the spliceosomal snRNAs U1, U2, U4, U5 and U6. In addition, the mutant exhibits a temperature‐dependent accumulation of aberrant U2 and U4 transcripts elongated at their 3′ end. The steady‐state concentration of the RNA component of RNase P is also reduced in the mutant, whereas the amount of U3 RNA, 7SL RNA, tRNA, rRNA and mRNA are the same as wild‐type. Pre‐mRNA, pre‐tRNA and U6 RNA precursor processing are impaired in the mutant. Genetic analysis demonstrates that the snRNA defects are tightly linked to the ts‐ growth defect and are recessive. We have named this mutant snm1 to indicate a defect in snRNA maintenance. The data on snm1 suggest that a single trans‐acting factor is essential for the maintenance of steady‐state levels of several snRNAs and for proper 3′ end formation of U2 and U4 RNAs.