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Pre-mRNA Splicing in Trypanosoma brucei: Factors, Mechanisms, and Regulation

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RNA Metabolism in Trypanosomes

Part of the book series: Nucleic Acids and Molecular Biology ((NUCLEIC,volume 28))

Abstract

Processing of polycistronic pre-mRNAs in trypanosomes requires trans splicing and polyadenylation of the primary transcripts to generate mature 5′ and 3′ ends of the mRNAs, respectively. Splicing is catalyzed by the spliceosome, which contains the spliceosomal small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs) U1, U2, U4/U6, and U5, as well as the SL RNP, which is essential for trans splicing. As in other eukaryotes, the trypanosomal snRNPs share a common set of seven Sm polypeptides, which assemble in a ring-like structure on the Sm binding site of the snRNAs, a process that is mediated by the survival of motor neurons (SMN) protein. Whereas studies in the last decade disclosed numerous spliceosomal components, little is known about splicing regulation in trypanosomes, even though recent studies revealed evidence for alternative trans splicing. Here we summarize the current state of research on mRNA splicing in Trypanosoma brucei which differs in several aspects from the well-studied mechanisms in other eukaryotes.

The authors Christian Preußer and Nicolas Jaé have contributed equally.

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  1. Institute of Biochemistry, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 58, 35392, Giessen, Germany

    Christian Preußer, Nicolas Jaé & Albrecht Bindereif

  2. Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, 06030-6403, USA

    Arthur Günzl

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    Albrecht Bindereif

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Preußer, C., Jaé, N., Günzl, A., Bindereif, A. (2012). Pre-mRNA Splicing in Trypanosoma brucei: Factors, Mechanisms, and Regulation. In: Bindereif, A. (eds) RNA Metabolism in Trypanosomes. Nucleic Acids and Molecular Biology, vol 28. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28687-2_3

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