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  • The EMBO Journal (1998) 17, 2651 - 2662
  • doi:10.1093/emboj/17.9.2651

Dbp5p, a cytosolic RNA helicase, is required for poly(A)+ RNA export

Stephanie S. -I Tseng1, Paul L. Weaver1,2, Yan Liu3, Midori Hitomi3, Alan M. Tartakoff3 and Tien-Hsien Chang1

  1. Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
  2. Present address: Center for Immunology, University of Minnesota, Box 609 UMHC, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
  3. Department of Pathology and Cell Biology Program, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA

Correspondence to:

Tien-Hsien Chang, E-mail: chang.108@osu.edu

Received 28 November 1997; Accepted 6 March 1998; Revised 6 March 1998

The DBP5 gene encodes a putative RNA helicase of unknown function in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is shown here that Dbp5p is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase required for polyadenylated [poly(A)+] RNA export. Surprisingly, Dbp5p is present predominantly, if not exclusively, in the cytoplasm, and is highly enriched around the nuclear envelope. This observation raises the possibility that Dbp5p may play a role in unloading or remodeling messenger RNA particles (mRNPs) upon arrival in the cytoplasm and in coupling mRNP export and translation. The functions of Dbp5p are likely to be conserved, since its potential homologues can be found in a variety of eukaryotic cells.

  • Keywords:

    • ATPase,
    • DEAD-box protein,
    • mRNA export,
    • RNA helicase