Premium
NF90 binds novel human non‐coding RNAs
Author(s) -
Mathews Michael B,
Parrott Andrew M
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.995.1
Subject(s) - biology , rna polymerase iii , gene , genetics , promoter , small nucleolar rna , rna , rna binding protein , transcription (linguistics) , rna polymerase , gene expression , non coding rna , linguistics , philosophy
Proteins in the nuclear factor 90 (NF90) family of dsRNA binding proteins are abundantly expressed in a broad spectrum of vertebrate tissues and participate in many aspects of RNA metabolism. NF90, also known as DRBP76 and NFAR1, forms heterodimeric complexes with NF45 protein. We detected several small non‐protein‐coding RNAs that associate with NF90 in vivo. They include snaRs (small NF90‐associated RNAs), a novel family of RNAs that are unique to the African Great Apes and display a restricted tissue distribution in humans. The genes for 3 of these RNA species are located within the proximal promoters of protein‐coding genes and are transcribed by RNA polymerase III (Pol III) in the opposite direction to their ‘host’ Pol II genes. snaRs are highly structured RNAs, ∼117 nucleotides in length. The snaR‐G1 and snaR‐G2 genes are in the proximal promoters of chorionic gonadotropin genes CG □ 1 and 2, respectively, in locations shared by chimpanzee orthologs. The gene encoding a novel tRNAi met precursor is 242 bp upstream of the 5′‐end of NF45 mRNA, in a highly conserved position in vertebrates. The binding of NF90 to a pre‐tRNAi met transcript whose gene resides in the NF45 promoter is suggestive of an intricate feedback control mechanism. We speculate that NF90 regulates the transcription of specific protein‐coding genes through interaction with small non‐coding RNAs transcribed by Pol III. Supported by NIH grant AI034552.