RNA chaperones stimulate formation and yield of the U3 snoRNA-Pre-rRNA duplexes needed for eukaryotic ribosome biogenesis.

ABSTRACT: Short duplexes between the U3 small nucleolar RNA and the precursor ribosomal RNA must form quickly and with high yield to satisfy the high demand for ribosome synthesis in rapidly growing eukaryotic cells. These interactions, designated the U3-ETS (external transcribed spacer) and U3-18S duplexes, are essential to initiate the processing of small subunit ribosomal RNA. Previously, we showed that duplexes corresponding to those in Saccharomyces cerevisiae are only observed in vitro after addition of one of two proteins: Imp3p or Imp4p. Here, we used fluorescence-based and other in vitro assays to determine whether these proteins possess RNA chaperone activities and to assess whether these activities are sufficient to satisfy the duplex yield and rate requirements expected in vivo. Assembly

SUBMITTER: Gerczei T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2881153 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature