Positive control of pre-mRNA splicing in vitro.
Positive control of the sex-specific alternative splicing of doublesex (dsx) precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) in Drosophila melanogaster involves the activation of a female-specific 3' splice site by the products of the transformer (tra) and transformer-2 (tra-2) genes. The mechanisms of this process were investigated in an in vitro system in which the female-specific 3' splice site could be activated by recombinant Tra or Tra-2 (or both). An exon sequence essential for regulation in vivo was shown to be both necessary and sufficient for activation in vitro. Nuclear proteins in addition to Tra and Tra-2 were found to bind specifically to this exon sequence. Therefore, Tra and Tra-2 may act by promoting the assembly of a multiprotein complex on the exon sequence. This complex may facilitate recognition of the adjacent 3' splice site by the splicing machinery.
Tian
M
M
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.
Maniatis
T
T
D000818:Animals; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D001665:Binding Sites; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000235:genetics*; D012326:RNA Splicing; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012322:RNA Precursors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; C066174:tra2 protein, Drosophila; D005914:Globins