Patrizia Fabrizio

The evolutionarily conserved core design of the catalytic activation step of the yeast spliceosome

Metazoan spliceosomes exhibit an elaborate protein composition required for canonical and alternative splicing. Thus, the minimal set of proteins essential for activation and catalysis remains elusive. We therefore purified in vitro assembled, precatalytic spliceosomal complex B, activated B(act), and step 1 complex C from the simple eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mass spectrometry revealed that yeast spliceosomes contain fewer proteins than metazoans and that each functional stage is very homogeneous. Dramatic compositional changes convert B to B(act), which is composed of approximately 40 evolutionarily conserved proteins that organize the catalytic core. Additional remodeling occurs concomitant with step 1, during which nine proteins are recruited to form complex C. The moderate number of proteins recruited to complex C will allow investigations of the chemical reactions in a fully defined system. Electron microscopy reveals high-quality images of yeast spliceosomes at defined functional stages, indicating that they are well-suited for three-dimensional structure analyses.

Cbf5p, a potential pseudouridine synthase, and Nhp2p, a putative RNA-binding protein, are present together with Gar1p in all H BOX/ACA-motif snoRNPs and constitute a common bipartite structure.

The eukaryotic nucleolus contains a large number of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) that are involved in preribosomal RNA (pre-rRNA) processing. The H box/ACA-motif (H/ACA) class of snoRNAs has recently been demonstrated to function as guide RNAs targeting specific uridines in the pre-rRNA for pseudouridine (psi) synthesis. To characterize the protein components of this class of snoRNPs, we have purified the snR42 and snR30 snoRNP complexes by anti-m3G-immunoaffinity and Mono-Q chromatography of Saccharomyces cerevisiae extracts. Sequence analysis of the individual polypeptides demonstrated that the three proteins Gar1p, Nhp2p, and Cbf5p are common to both the snR30 and snR42 complexes. Nhp2p is a highly basic protein that belongs to a family of putative RNA-binding proteins. Cbf5p has recently been demonstrated to be involved in ribosome biogenesis and also shows striking homology with known prokaryotic psi synthases. The presence of Cbf5p, a putative psi synthase in each H/ACA snoRNP suggests that this class of RNPs functions as individual modification enzymes. Immunoprecipitation studies using either anti-Cbf5p antibodies or a hemagglutinin-tagged Nhp2p demonstrated that both proteins are associated with all H/ACA-motif snoRNPs. In vivo depletion of Nhp2p results in a reduction in the steady-state levels of all H/ACA snoRNAs. Electron microscopy of purified snR42 and snR30 particles revealed that these two snoRNPs possess a similar bipartite structure that we propose to be a major structural determining principle for all H/ACA snoRNPs.

An evolutionarily conserved U5 snRNP-specific protein is a GTP-binding factor closely related to the ribosomal translocase EF-2.

The driving forces behind the many RNA conformational changes occurring in the spliceosome are not well understood. Here we characterize an evolutionarily conserved human U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) protein (U5‐116kD) that is strikingly homologous to the ribosomal elongation factor EF‐2 (ribosomal translocase). A 114 kDa protein (Snu114p) homologous to U5‐116kD was identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and was shown to be essential for yeast cell viability. Genetic depletion of Snu114p results in accumulation of unspliced pre‐mRNA, indicating that Snu114p is essential for splicing in vivo. Antibodies specific for U5‐116kD inhibit pre‐mRNA splicing in a HeLa nuclear extract in vitro. In HeLa cells, U5‐116kD is located in the nucleus and co‐localizes with snRNP‐containing subnuclear structures referred to as speckles. The G domain of U5‐116kD/Snu114p contains the consensus sequence elements G1–G5 important for binding and hydrolyzing GTP. Consistent with this, U5‐116kD can be cross‐linked specifically to GTP by UV irradiation of U5 snRNPs. Moreover, a single amino acid substitution in the G1 sequence motif of Snu114p, expected to abolish GTP‐binding activity, is lethal, suggesting that GTP binding and probably GTP hydrolysis is important for the function of U5‐116kD/Snu114p. This is to date the first evidence that a G domain‐containing protein plays an essential role in the pre‐mRNA splicing process.

Functional interaction of a novel 15.5kD [U4/U6.U5] tri-snRNP protein with the 5' stem-loop of U4 snRNA.

Activation of the spliceosome for splicing catalysis requires the dissociation of U4 snRNA from the U4/U6 snRNA duplex prior to the first step of splicing. We characterize an evolutionarily conserved 15.5 kDa protein of the HeLa [U4/U6·U5] tri‐snRNP that binds directly to the 5′ stem–loop of U4 snRNA. This protein shares a novel RNA recognition motif with several RNP‐associated proteins, which is essential, but not sufficient for RNA binding. The 15.5kD protein binding site on the U4 snRNA consists of an internal purine‐rich loop flanked by the stem of the 5′ stem–loop and a stem comprising two base pairs. Addition of an RNA oligonucleotide comprising the 5′ stem–loop of U4 snRNA (U4SL) to an in vitro splicing reaction blocked the first step of pre‐mRNA splicing. Interestingly, spliceosomal C complex formation was inhibited while B complexes accumulated. This indicates that the 15.5kD protein, and/or additional U4 snRNP proteins associated with it, play an important role in the late stage of spliceosome assembly, prior to step I of splicing catalysis. Our finding that the 15.5kD protein also efficiently binds to the 5′ stem–loop of U4atac snRNA indicates that it may be shared by the [U4atac/U6atac·U5] tri‐snRNP of the minor U12‐type spliceosome.

Identification by mass spectrometry and functional analysis of novel proteins of the yeast [U4/U6.U5] tri-snRNP.

The 25S [U4/U6·U5] tri‐snRNP (small nuclear ribonucleoprotein) is a central unit of the nuclear pre‐mRNA splicing machinery. The U4, U5 and U6 snRNAs undergo numerous rearrangements in the spliceosome, and knowledge of all of the tri‐snRNP proteins is crucial to the detailed investigation of the RNA dynamics during the spliceosomal cycle. Here we characterize by mass spectrometric methods the proteins of the purified [U4/U6·U5] tri‐snRNP from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In addition to the known tri–snRNP proteins (only one, Lsm3p, eluded detection), we identified eight previously uncharacterized proteins. These include four Sm‐like proteins (Lsm2p, Lsm5p, Lsm6p and Lsm7p) and four specific proteins named Snu13p, Dib1p, Snu23p and Snu66p. Snu13p comprises a putative RNA‐binding domain. Interestingly, the Schizosaccharomyces pombe orthologue of Dib1p, Dim1p, was previously assigned a role in cell cycle progression. The role of Snu23p, Snu66p and, additionally, Spp381p in pre‐mRNA splicing was investigated in vitro and/or in vivo. Finally, we show that both tri‐snRNPs and the U2 snRNP are co‐precipitated with protein A‐tagged versions of Snu23p, Snu66p and Spp381p from extracts fractionated by glycerol gradient centrifugation. This suggests that these proteins, at least in part, are also present in a [U2·U4/U6·U5] tetra‐snRNP complex.

Reconstitution of both steps of Saccharomyces cerevisiae splicing with purified spliceosomal components.

The spliceosome is a ribonucleoprotein machine that removes introns from pre-mRNA in a two-step reaction. To investigate the catalytic steps of splicing, we established an in vitro splicing complementation system. Spliceosomes stalled before step 1 of this process were purified to near-homogeneity from a temperature-sensitive mutant of the RNA helicase Prp2, compositionally defined, and shown to catalyze efficient step 1 when supplemented with recombinant Prp2, Spp2 and Cwc25, thereby demonstrating that Cwc25 has a previously unknown role in promoting step 1. Step 2 catalysis additionally required Prp16, Slu7, Prp18 and Prp22. Our data further suggest that Prp2 facilitates catalytic activation by remodeling the spliceosome, including destabilizing the SF3a and SF3b proteins, likely exposing the branch site before step 1. Remodeling by Prp2 was confirmed by negative stain EM and image processing. This system allows future mechanistic analyses of spliceosome activation and catalysis.

The HeLa 200 kDa U5 snRNP-specific protein and its homologue in Saccharomyces cerevisiae are members of the DEXH-box protein family of putative RNA helicases.

The primary structure of the 200 kDa protein of purified HeLa U5 snRNPs (U5‐200kD) was characterized by cloning and sequencing of its cDNA. In order to confirm that U5‐200kD is distinct from U5‐220kD we demonstrate by protein sequencing that the human U5‐specific 220 kDa protein is homologous to the yeast U5‐specific protein Prp8p. A 246 kDa protein (Snu246p) homologous to U5–200kD was identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Both proteins contain two conserved domains characteristic of the DEXH‐box protein family of putative RNA helicases and RNA‐stimulated ATPases. Antibodies raised against fusion proteins produced from fragments of the cloned mammalian cDNA interact specifically with the HeLa U5–200kD protein on Western blots and co‐immunoprecipitate U5 snRNA and to a lesser extent U4 and U6 snRNAs from HeLa snRNPs. Similarly, U4, U5 and U6 snRNAs can be co‐immunoprecipitated from yeast splicing extracts containing an HA‐tagged derivative of Snu246p with HA‐tag specific antibodies. U5–200kD and Snu246p are thus the first putative RNA helicases shown to be intrinsic components of snRNPs. Disruption of the SNU246 gene in yeast is lethal and leads to a splicing defect in vivo, indicating that the protein is essential for splicing. Anti‐U5–200kD antibodies specifically block the second step of mammalian splicing in vitro, demonstrating for the first time that a DEXH‐box protein is involved in mammalian splicing. We propose that U5–200kD and Snu246p promote one or more conformational changes in the dynamic network of RNA‐RNA interactions in the spliceosome.

Structure and function of an RNase H domain at the heart of the spliceosome

Precursor‐messenger RNA (pre‐mRNA) splicing encompasses two sequential transesterification reactions in distinct active sites of the spliceosome that are transiently established by the interplay of small nuclear (sn) RNAs and spliceosomal proteins. Protein Prp8 is an active site component but the molecular mechanisms, by which it might facilitate splicing catalysis, are unknown. We have determined crystal structures of corresponding portions of yeast and human Prp8 that interact with functional regions of the pre‐mRNA, revealing a phylogenetically conserved RNase H fold, augmented by Prp8‐specific elements. Comparisons to RNase H–substrate complexes suggested how an RNA encompassing a 5′‐splice site (SS) could bind relative to Prp8 residues, which on mutation, suppress splice defects in pre‐mRNAs and snRNAs. A truncated RNase H‐like active centre lies next to a known contact region of the 5′SS and directed mutagenesis confirmed that this centre is a functional hotspot. These data suggest that Prp8 employs an RNase H domain to help assemble and stabilize the spliceosomal catalytic core, coordinate the activities of other splicing factors and possibly participate in chemical catalysis of splicing.

Molecular architecture of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae activated spliceosome.

The activated spliceosome (Bact) is in a catalytically inactive state and is remodeled into a catalytically active machine by the RNA helicase Prp2, but the mechanism is unclear. Here, we describe a 3D electron cryomicroscopy structure of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Bact complex at 5.8-angstrom resolution. Our model reveals that in Bact, the catalytic U2/U6 RNA-Prp8 ribonucleoprotein core is already established, and the 5′ splice site (ss) is oriented for step 1 catalysis but occluded by protein. The first-step nucleophile—the branchsite adenosine—is sequestered within the Hsh155 HEAT domain and is held 50 angstroms away from the 5′ss. Our structure suggests that Prp2 adenosine triphosphatase–mediated remodeling leads to conformational changes in Hsh155’s HEAT domain that liberate the first-step reactants for catalysis.

Common Design Principles in the Spliceosomal RNA Helicase Brr2 and in the Hel308 DNA Helicase

Brr2 is a unique DExD/H box protein required for catalytic activation and disassembly of the spliceosome. It contains two tandem helicase cassettes that both comprise dual RecA-like domains and a noncanonical Sec63 unit. The latter may bestow the enzyme with unique properties. We have determined crystal structures of the C-terminal Sec63 unit of yeast Brr2, revealing three domains, two of which resemble functional modules of a DNA helicase, Hel308, despite lacking significant sequence similarity. This structural similarity together with sequence conservation between the enzymes throughout the RecA-like domains and a winged helix domain allowed us to devise a structural model of the N-terminal active cassette of Brr2. We consolidated the model by rational mutagenesis combined with splicing and U4/U6 di-snRNA unwinding assays, highlighting how the RecA-like domains and the Sec63 unit form a functional entity that appears suitable for unidirectional and processive RNA duplex unwinding during spliceosome activation and disassembly.