Abstract

The human U2B″ protein is one of the unique proteins that comprise the U2 snRNP, but it is also a representative of the U1A/U2B″ protein family. In the U2 snRNP, it is bound to Stem-Loop IV (SLIV) of the U2 snRNA. We find that in vitro it binds not only to human SLIV, but also to Stem-Loop II (SLII) from human U1 snRNA and to Drosophila U2 snRNA SLIV. The thermodynamics of these binding interactions show a striking similarity, leading to the conclusion that U2B″ has a relaxed specificity for its RNA targets. The binding properties of U2B″ are distinct from those of human U1A and of Drosophila SNF, despite its high homology to those proteins, and so provide important new information on how this protein family has modulated its target preferences.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)82-89
Number of pages8
JournalBiophysical Chemistry
Volume159
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2011

Keywords

  • Protein:RNA thermodynamics
  • RNA binding protein
  • RRM
  • U2B″

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