Splicing of mRNA mediated by tRNA sequences in mouse cells

RNA. 2009 Dec;15(12):2122-8. doi: 10.1261/rna.1841609. Epub 2009 Oct 22.

Abstract

tRNA splicing is essential for the formation of tRNAs and therefore for gene expression. A circularly permuted sequence of an amber-suppressor pre-tRNA gene was inserted into the sequence encoding the mouse NEMO protein. We demonstrated that, in mouse cells, the hybrid pre-tRNA/pre-mRNAs can be spliced precisely at the sites of the pre-tRNA intron. This splicing reaction produces functional tRNAs that suppress amber codons as well as translatable mRNAs that sustain the NF-kappaB activation pathway. The RNA molecules extracted from mouse cells were amplified by RT-PCR, and their sequences were determined, confirming the identity of the splice junctions. We then applied the Archaea-express technology, in which an archaeal RNA endonuclease is expressed in mouse cells. We show that both the endogenous eukaryal endonuclease and the archaeal one cleave the hybrid pre-tRNA/pre-mRNAs in the same manner with an additive effect.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Methanococcus / genetics
  • Methanococcus / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • RNA Precursors / chemistry
  • RNA Precursors / genetics
  • RNA Splicing*
  • RNA, Messenger / chemistry*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics*
  • RNA, Transfer / chemistry*
  • RNA, Transfer / genetics*
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • NEMO protein, mouse
  • NF-kappa B
  • RNA Precursors
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Transfer