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The question remains: Is the spliceosome a ribozyme?

Nature Structural Biology volume 7, pages 850–854 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

The two phosphoryl transfer steps of pre-mRNA splicing are catalyzed within the large ribonuclear protein machine called the spliceosome. The highly dynamic nature of the spliceosome has presented many challenges to a structural and mechanistic understanding of its catalytic core. While much evidence supports the popular hypothesis that the catalytic steps of pre-mRNA splicing are mediated by spliceosomal RNA, a role for protein in catalysis cannot yet be ruled out. A highly conserved protein, Prp8, is a component of the catalytic core. We review data consistent with the hypothesis that Prp8 functions as a cofactor to an RNA enzyme.

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Figure 1: Spliceosome reaction and assembly.
Figure 2: Working model of RNA and Prp8 interactions in the catalytic core, and mutually exclusive interactions of U6 and U2 snRNAs in pre-assembled snRNPs.
Figure 3: A model of Prp8 binding to a tertiary RNA structure in the catalytic core.

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Acknowledgements

We thank J. Abelson, A. Kistler, M. Inada, J. Staley, S. Rader, T. Villa and R. Wagner for helpful comments and discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Group in Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, 94143-0448, California, USA

    Catherine A. Collins

  2. Department of Biochemistry Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, 94143-0448, California, USA

    Christine Guthrie

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  1. Catherine A. Collins
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  2. Christine Guthrie
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Correspondence to Christine Guthrie.

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Collins, C., Guthrie, C. The question remains: Is the spliceosome a ribozyme?. Nat Struct Mol Biol 7, 850–854 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/79598

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