A computational search for box C/D snoRNA genes in the Drosophila melanogaster genome.
BACKGROUND
In eukaryotes, the family of non-coding RNA genes includes a number of genes encoding small nucleolar RNAs (mainly C/D and H/ACA snoRNAs), which act as guides in the maturation or post-transcriptional modifications of target RNA molecules. Since in Drosophila melanogaster (Dm) only few examples of snoRNAs have been identified so far by cDNA libraries screening, integration of the molecular data with in silico identification of these types of genes could throw light on their organization in the Dm genome.


RESULTS
We have performed a computational screening of the Dm genome for C/D snoRNA genes, followed by experimental validation of the putative candidates. Few of the 26 confirmed snoRNAs had been recognized by cDNA library analysis. Organization of the Dm genome was also found to be more variegated than previously suspected, with snoRNA genes nested in both the introns and exons of protein-coding genes. This finding suggests that the presence of additional mechanisms of snoRNA biogenesis based on the alternative production of overlapping mRNA/snoRNA molecules.


BACKGROUND
Additional information is available at http://www.bioinformatica.unito.it/bioinformatics/snoRNAs.
Accardo
M C
MC
Department of Genetics, General and Molecular Biology, University of Naples Federico II, via Mezzocannone 8, 80134 Napoli, Italy.
Giordano
E
E
Riccardo
S
S
Digilio
F A
FA
Iazzetti
G
G
Calogero
R A
RA
Furia
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods*; D008745:Methylation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020537:RNA, Small Nucleolar / Q000235:genetics*
D020537:RNA, Small Nucleolar