Structural and mechanistic basis for preferential deadenylation of U6 snRNA by Usb1.

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Source:

Nucleic Acids Res (2018)

Abstract:

<p>Post-transcriptional modification of snRNA is central to spliceosome function. Usb1 is an exoribonuclease that shortens the oligo-uridine tail of U6 snRNA, resulting in a terminal 2&#39;,3&#39; cyclic phosphate group in most eukaryotes, including humans. Loss of function mutations in human Usb1 cause the rare disorder poikiloderma with neutropenia (PN), and result in U6 snRNAs with elongated 3&#39; ends that are aberrantly adenylated. Here, we show that human Usb1 removes 3&#39; adenosines with 20-fold greater efficiency than uridines, which explains the presence of adenylated U6 snRNAs in cells lacking Usb1. We determined three high-resolution co-crystal structures of Usb1: wild-type Usb1 bound to the substrate analog adenosine 5&#39;-monophosphate, and an inactive mutant bound to RNAs with a 3&#39; terminal adenosine and uridine. These structures, along with QM/MM MD simulations of the catalytic mechanism, illuminate the molecular basis for preferential deadenylation of U6 snRNA. The extent of Usb1 processing is influenced by the secondary structure of U6 snRNA.</p>

PDB: 
6D2Z, 6D30 and 6D31
Detector: 
PILATUS
Beamline: 
24-ID-C