The EMBO Journal
 
Advanced search
Journal home
Current issue
Advance Online Publication
Web Focuses
Archive
Browse by subject
Free online sample issue
Aims and scope
Press releases
ToC by email
Authors & Referees
Guide for authors
Submit an Article
Guide for referees
Editorial Team, Senior Advisors and Advisory Editorial Board
Contact Editorial office
Customer services
Subscribe
Order sample copy
Purchase articles
Reprints and permissions
Contact NPG
Advertising
EMBO
www.embo.org
Article
Subject Categories: RNA | Structural Biology
The EMBO Journal (2007) 26, 1737–1748, doi:10.1038/sj.emboj.7601631
Published online 1 March 2007
Composition and three-dimensional EM structure of double affinity-purified, human prespliceosomal A complexes
Nastaran Behzadnia1, Monika M Golas2, Klaus Hartmuth1, Bjoern Sander2, Berthold Kastner1, Jochen Deckert1, Prakash Dube2, Cindy L Will1, Henning Urlaub3, Holger Stark2 and Reinhard Lührmann1
1 Department of Cellular Biochemistry, MPI of Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
2 3D Electron Cryomicroscopy Group, MPI of Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany
3 Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Group, MPI of Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen, Germany

To whom correspondence should be addressed

Reinhard Lührmann, Department of Cellular Biochemistry, MPI for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, Göttingen 37077, Germany. Tel.: +49 551 2011407; Fax: +49 551 2011197; E-mail: reinhard.luehrmann@mpi-bpc.mpg.de
Holger Stark, 3D Electron Cryomicroscopy Group, MPI for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, Göttingen 37077, Germany. Tel.: +49 551 2011305; Fax: +49 551 2011197; E-mail: hstark1@gwdg.de

Received 13 July 2006; Accepted 2 February 2007; Published online 1 March 2007.
Abstract
Little is known about the higher-order structure of prespliceosomal A complexes, in which pairing of the pre-mRNA's splice sites occurs. Here, human A complexes were isolated under physiological conditions by double-affinity selection. Purified complexes contained stoichiometric amounts of U1, U2 and pre-mRNA, and crosslinking studies indicated that these form concomitant base pairing interactions with one another. A complexes contained nearly all U1 and U2 proteins plus approx50 non-snRNP proteins. Unexpectedly, proteins of the hPrp19/CDC5 complex were also detected, even when A complexes were formed in the absence of U4/U6 snRNPs, demonstrating that they associate independent of the tri-snRNP. Double-affinity purification yielded structurally homogeneous A complexes as evidenced by electron microscopy, and allowed for the first time the generation of a three-dimensional structure. A complexes possess an asymmetric shape (approx260 times 200 times 195 Å) and contain a main body with various protruding elements, including a head-like domain and foot-like protrusions. Complexes isolated here are well suited for in vitro assembly studies to determine factor requirements for the A to B complex transition.
Keywords: electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, pre-mRNA splicing, Prp19/CDC5, spliceosomal A complex
Top

MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS

These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated

NEWS AND VIEWS

Alive with DEAD proteins

Nature News and Views (07 Feb 1991)

Splicing in stereo

Nature News and Views (23 Sep 1993)

See all 3 matches for News And Views

Send to a friendEmail link to a friend
PDFDownload PDF
Full textFull text
Previous article
Table of contents
rights and permissionsRights and permissions
order commercial reprintsReprints
ToC alertRegister for table of contents by email
  Privacy policy Copyright © 2007 by the European Molecular Biology Organization