AU-rich elements target small nuclear RNAs as well as mRNAs for rapid degradation

作者：Fan XHC; Myer VE; Steitz JA

来源：Genes & Development, 1997, 11(19): 2557-2568.

DOI：10.1101/gad.11.19.2557

• ARE
• HSUR 1
• RNA degradation
• HuR
• Herpesvirus saimiri

AU-rich elements (AREs, usually containing repeated copies of AUUUA), when present in the 3'-untranslated regions (UTRs) of many mammalian mRNAs, confer instability on their host RNA molecules. The viral small nuclear RNA (snRNA) Herpesvirus saimiri U RNA 1 (HSUR 1) also contains an AUUUA-rich sequence. Here, we report that this ARE induces rapid degradation of HSUR 1 itself and of other snRNAs including HSUR 2 and cellular UI. Mutational analyses of the viral ARE establish that sequence requirements for mRNA and snRNA decay are the same, suggesting a similar mechanism. Moreover, the in vivo degradation activity of mutant AREs correlates with their in vitro binding to the HuR protein, implicated previously as a component of the mRNA degradation machinery. Our results suggest that ARE-mediated instability can be uncoupled from both ongoing translation and deadenylation of the target RNA.

• 出版日期1997-10-1