Artificial Box C/D RNAs Affect Pre-mRNA Maturation in Human Cells. (31st March 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stepanov, Grigoriy A.; Semenov, Dmitry V.; Savelyeva, Anna V.; Kuligina, Elena V.; Koval, Olga A.; Rabinov, Igor V.; Richter, Vladimir A.
• Other Names: Okazaki Yasushi Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: BioMed research international. Volume 2013(2013)
• Publication Date: 2013-03-31
• Subjects: Medicine -- Periodicals; Biology -- Periodicals; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Life sciences -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1155/2013/656158
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2314-6133

Abstract

Abstract : Box C/D small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are known to guide the 2 ′ -O-ribose methylation of nucleotides in eukaryotic ribosomal RNAs and small nuclear RNAs. Recently snoRNAs are predicted to regulate posttranscriptional modifications of pre-mRNA. To expand understanding of the role of snoRNAs in control of gene expression, in this study we tested the ability of artificial box C/D RNAs to affect the maturation of target pre-mRNA. We found that transfection of artificial box C/D snoRNA analogues directed to HSPA8 pre-mRNAs into human cells induced suppression of the target mRNA expression in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The artificial box C/D RNA directed to the branch point adenosine of the second intron, as well as the analogue directed to the last nucleotide of the second exon of the HSPA8 pre-mRNA caused the most prominent influence on the level of HSPA8 mRNAs. Neither box D nor the ability to direct 2 ′ -O-methylation of nucleotides in target RNA was essential for the knockdown activity of artificial snoRNAs. Inasmuch as artificial box C/D RNAs decreased viability of transfected human cells, we propose that natural snoRNAs as well as their artificial analogues can influence the maturation of complementary pre-mRNA and can be effective regulators of vital cellular processes.