title: The conserved pre-mRNA splicing factor U2AF from Drosophila: requirement for viability.
abstract: The large subunit of the human pre-messenger RNA splicing factor U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein auxiliary factor (hU2AF65) is required for spliceosome assembly in vitro. A complementary DNA clone encoding the large subunit of Drosophila U2AF (dU2AF50) has been isolated. The dU2AF50 protein is closely related to its mammalian counterpart and contains three carboxyl-terminal ribonucleoprotein consensus sequence RNA binding domains and an amino-terminal arginine- and serine-rich (R/S) domain. Recombinant dU2AF50 protein complements mammalian splicing extracts depleted of U2AF activity. Germline transformation of Drosophila with the dU2AF50 complementary DNA rescues a lethal mutation, establishing that the dU2AF50 gene is essential for viability. R/S domains have been found in numerous metazoan splicing factors, but their function is unknown. The mutation in Drosophila U2AF will allow in vivo analysis of a conserved R/S domain-containing general splicing factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley 94720.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kanaar
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Beall
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Rio
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D005260:Female; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D017344:Genes, Insect; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D012326:RNA Splicing; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D000072668:Splicing Factor U2AF
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012322:RNA Precursors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D000072668:Splicing Factor U2AF; C000607494:U2AF2 protein, human; D012313:RNA