The divergent U12-type spliceosome is required for pre-mRNA splicing and is essential for development in Drosophila

Mol Cell. 2002 Feb;9(2):439-46. doi: 10.1016/s1097-2765(02)00441-0.

Abstract

A minor class of pre-mRNA introns whose excision requires a spliceosome containing U11, U12, U4atac/U6atac, and U5 snRNPs has been identified in plants, insects, and vertebrates. We have characterized single loci that specify the U6atac and U12 snRNAs of Drosophila melanogaster. P element-mediated disruptions of the U6atac and U12 genes cause lethality during the third instar larval and embryonic stages, respectively, and are rescued by U6atac and U12 transgenes. The P element disruption of U6atac results in excision defects of U12-type introns from several transcripts including an alternative U12-dependent spliced isoform of prospero, a homeodomain protein required for CNS development. Thus, we demonstrate the requirement for the U12 spliceosome in the development of a metazoan organism.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alternative Splicing
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Base Sequence
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / physiology*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / embryology
  • Drosophila melanogaster / genetics
  • Drosophila melanogaster / growth & development
  • Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism*
  • Genes, Lethal
  • Introns / genetics*
  • Larva
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutagenesis, Insertional
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nucleic Acid Conformation
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • RNA Precursors / genetics
  • RNA Precursors / metabolism*
  • RNA Splicing*
  • RNA, Small Nuclear / genetics
  • RNA, Small Nuclear / metabolism*
  • Ribonucleoprotein, U4-U6 Small Nuclear / genetics
  • Ribonucleoprotein, U4-U6 Small Nuclear / physiology*
  • Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear / genetics
  • Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear / physiology*
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
  • Spliceosomes / physiology*
  • Transcription Factors*
  • Transgenes

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Protein Isoforms
  • RNA Precursors
  • RNA, Small Nuclear
  • Ribonucleoprotein, U4-U6 Small Nuclear
  • Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear
  • Transcription Factors
  • U11-U12 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein
  • U12 small nuclear RNA
  • U6 small nuclear RNA
  • pros protein, Drosophila

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF459089
  • GENBANK/AF459090