title: U20, a novel small nucleolar RNA, is encoded in an intron of the nucleolin gene in mammals.
abstract: We have found that intron 11 of the nucleolin gene in humans and rodents encodes a previously unidentified small nucleolar RNA, termed U20. The single-copy U20 sequence is located on the same DNA strand as the nucleolin mRNA. U20 RNA, which does not possess a trimethyl cap, appears to result from intronic RNA processing and not from transcription of an independent gene. In mammals, U20 RNA is an 80-nucleotide-long, metabolically stable species, present at about 7 x 10(3) molecules per exponentially growing HeLa cell. It has a nucleolar localization, as indicated by fluorescence microscopy following in situ hybridization with digoxigenin-labeled oligonucleotides. U20 RNA contains the box C and box D sequence motifs, hallmarks of most small nucleolar RNAs reported to date, and is immunoprecipitated by antifibrillarin antibodies. It also exhibits a 5'-3' terminal stem bracketing the box C-box D motifs like U14, U15, U16, or Y RNA. A U20 homolog of similar size has been detected in all vertebrate classes by Northern (RNA) hybridization with mammalian oligonucleotide probes. U20 RNA contains an extended region (21 nucleotides) of perfect complementarity with a phylogenetically conserved sequence in 18S rRNA. This complementarity is strongly preserved among distant vertebrates, suggesting that U20 RNA may be involved in the formation of the small ribosomal subunit like nucleolin, the product of its host gene.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire Eucaryote du CNRS, Université Paul-Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nicoloso
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caizergues-Ferrer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Michot
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Azum
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bachellerie
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000737:chemistry*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000378:metabolism; D005796:Genes; D005807:Genes, Overlapping; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S / Q000235:genetics; D012342:RNA, Small Nuclear / Q000235:genetics*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear / Q000737:chemistry; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D000097796:Nucleolin
chemical_list: D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; D012337:RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; D012342:RNA, Small Nuclear; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear; D000097796:Nucleolin; C047458:fibrillarin