The 5' untranslated region of the PPR1 regulatory gene dictates rapid mRNA decay in yeast.
In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the mRNA encoded by the PPR1 gene is very unstable (t1/2 = 1 min), whereas the mRNA encoded by the URA3 gene is relatively stable (t1/2 = 10 min). To identify cis-acting sequences that dictate mRNA decay rates in yeast, we have constructed PPR1/URA3 gene fusions and measured the half-lives of the resulting chimeric transcripts. The mRNA containing the URA3 coding region fused to the untranslated regions (UTR) of PPR1 decayed at a rate similar to the native PPR1 mRNA, suggesting that the instability of the PPR1 mRNA is not linked to its coding sequence. When the 5'-UTR of PPR1 was replaced by the 5'-UTR of URA3, the chimeric transcript was strongly stabilized, indicating that the 5'-UTR of PPR1 is required for the rapid decay of its mRNA. Fusion of this PPR1 5'-UTR to the URA3 coding region was sufficient to destabilize the chimeric mRNA. We conclude that the PPR1 5'-UTR contains sequence(s) that can promote rapid mRNA decay in yeast.
Pierrat
B
B
Laboratoire of Génétique Moléculaire des Eucaryotes du CNRS, Strasbourg, France.
Lacroute
F
F
Losson
R
R
D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003062:Codon; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D006207:Half-Life; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D009964:Orotidine-5'-Phosphate Decarboxylase / Q000235:genetics*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012331:RNA, Fungal / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014498:Uracil / Q000378:metabolism
D003062:Codon; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C065682:PPR1 protein, S cerevisiae; D012331:RNA, Fungal; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014498:Uracil; D009964:Orotidine-5'-Phosphate Decarboxylase