Tsai RT, Fu RH, Yeh FL, Tseng CK, Lin YC, Huang YH, Cheng SC

Two novel yeast splicing factors required for spliceosome disassembly have been identified. Ntr1 and Ntr2 (NineTeen complex-Related proteins) were identified for their weak association with components of the Prp19-associated complex. Unlike other Prp19-associated components, these two proteins were primarily associated with the intron-containing spliceosome during the splicing reaction. Extracts depleted ...

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of Ntr1 or Ntr2 exhibited full splicing activity, but accumulated large amounts of lariat-intron in the spliceosome after splicing, indicating that the normal function of the Prp19-associated complex in spliceosome activation was not affected, but spliceosome disassembly was hindered. Immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that Ntr1 and Ntr2 formed a stable complex with DExD/H-box RNA helicase Prp43 in the splicing extract. Ntr1 interacted with Prp43 through the N-terminal G-patch domain, with Ntr2 through a middle region, and with itself through the carboxyl half of the protein. The affinity-purified Ntr1-Ntr2-Prp43 complex could catalyze disassembly of the spliceosome in an ATP-dependent manner, separating U2, U5, U6, NTC (NineTeen Complex), and lariat-intron. This is the first demonstration of physical disassembly of the spliceosome, catalyzed by a complex containing a DExD/H-box RNA helicase and two accessory factors, which might function in targeting the helicase to the correct substrate.

Date: Dec. 15, 2005

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