Synthesis, Structure, and Function of Eukaryotic snRNA U14

低分子量RNA的不同群体，在两种 原核生物和真核生物，已经被证明发挥 在多种细胞过程中发挥重要作用，包括 DNA复制、RNA转录和加工以及mRNA 翻译. 该实验室的研究重点是 一种这样小的核RNA的结构和功能被命名为 snRNA U14。 这种进化上保守的真核lmwRNA种类 具有保守的分子间碱基配对能力， 18 s核糖体RNA。 的分子和细胞表征 小鼠和非洲爪蟾U14以及酵母U14的遗传分析 强烈表明在真核rRNA合成中的作用和/或 处理. 最近的实验令人惊讶地揭示了 小鼠和非洲爪蟾U14基因在内含子中的定位 5的组成型表达的同源hsc 70热休克基因， snRNA的独特基因组结构。 本研究中概述的实验将检查 真核snRNA U14的合成、结构和功能。 的 生物合成途径负责U14生物合成定义。 的 U14的合成和细胞分布将在两个研究 正常和异常生长的细胞。 U14在rRNA中的作用 处理以及可能参与热休克/应激 将审查答复。 最后，结构研究将定义 进化上保守的U14二级结构，确定 这些U14/18 s rRNA序列参与了分子间 杂交，并表征U14-相关蛋白质的一个 U14核糖核蛋白复合物 这些研究的结果 将有助于更好地了解结构/功能 这种独特的、在进化上重要的关系 真核lmwRNA.*//

Diverse populations of low molecular weight RNAs, found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organsims, have been shown to play important roles in a wide variety of cellular processes including DNA replication, RNA transcription and processing, and mRNA translation. This laboratory's research efforts are focused on the structure and function of one such small nuclear RNA designated snRNA U14. This evolutionarily conserved eukaryotic lmwRNA species possesses a conserved ability to intermolecularly base-pair with 18s ribosomal RNA. Molecular and cellular characterization of mouse and Xenopus U14 as well as genetic analysis of yeast U14 strongly indicate a role in eukaryotic rRNA synthesis and/or processing. Recent experiments have quite surprisingly revealed the positioning of the mouse and Xenopus U14 genes within intron 5 of the constitutive-expressed cognate hsc70 heat shock gene, a unique genomic organization for an snRNA. The experiments outlined in this investigation will examine the synthesis, structure, and function of eukaryotic snRNA U14. The biosynthetic pathway responsible for U14 biogenesis defined. The synthesis and cellular distribution of U14 will be studied in both normally and abnormally growing cells. U14's role in rRNA processing as well as possible involvement in the heat shock/stress response will be examined. Finally, structural studies will define an evolutionarily conserved U14 secondary structure, determine those U14/18s rRNA sequences involved in intermolecular hybridization, and characterize the U14-associated proteins of a putative U14 ribonucleoprotein complex. Results from these studies will lead to a better understanding of the structure/function relationships of this unique and evolutionarily important eukaryotic lmwRNA.***//