Analysis of genes for human snRNP Sm-D1 protein and identification of the promoter sequence which shows segmental homology to the promoters of SM-E and U1 snRNA genes
GENE
Authors: Sun, D; Ou, YC; Hoch, SO
Abstract
The Sm core proteins of U1, U2, U4/U6 and U5 snRNPs include B(B1), B'(B2), N(B3), D1, D2, D3, E, F and G polypeptides. We have isolated genomic clones encoding the Sm-DI protein using the Sm-D1 cDNA as probe. Southern blotting and DNA sequencing analysis of these clones revealed the presence of an Sm-D1 multigene family in the human genome. Three gene members have been identified. Two of the genes are without introns and contain mutations compared to the cDNA sequence. They appear to be processed pseudogenes. The third gene, termed SNRPD1, shares 100% identity to the cDNA sequence including both 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions (UTR); it contains three introns. Analysis of the 5'-flanking region of the SNRPD1 gene revealed promoter activity, suggesting this is the functional gene that encodes the Sm-D1 protein. The promoter activity was localized in a 0.38 kb PstI fragment using CAT reporter gene fusion assays. Addition of an SV40 enhancer element did not enhance the transcription directed by that fragment. Sequence comparison of the 0.38 kb promoter sequence with the promoters of the Sm-E gene and UI snRNA genes revealed several homologous motifs, suggesting that genes encoding the snRNP components may be coordinately regulated. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.
Targeting the Deregulated Spliceosome Core Machinery in Cancer Cells Triggers mTOR Blockade and Autophagy
CANCER RESEARCH
Authors: Quidville, Virginie; Alsafadi, Samar; Goubar, Aicha; Commo, Frederic; Scott, Veronique; Pioche-Durieu, Catherine; Girault, Isabelle; Baconnais, Sonia; Le Cam, Eric; Lazar, Vladimir; Delaloge, Suzette; Saghatchian, Mahasti; Pautier, Patricia; Morice, Philippe; Dessen, Philippe; Vagner, Stephan; Andre, Fabrice
Abstract
The spliceosome is a large ribonucleoprotein complex that guides pre-mRNA splicing in eukaryotic cells. Here, we determine whether the spliceosome could constitute an attractive therapeutic target in cancer. Analysis of gene expression arrays from lung, breast, and ovarian cancers datasets revealed that several genes encoding components of the core spliceosome composed of a heteroheptameric Sm complex were overexpressed in malignant disease as compared with benign lesions and could also define a subset of highly aggressive breast cancers. siRNA-mediated depletion of SmE (SNRPE) or SmD1 (SNRPD1) led to a marked reduction of cell viability in breast, lung, and melanoma cancer cell lines, whereas it had little effect on the survival of the nonmalignant MCF-10A breast epithelial cells. SNRPE or SNRPD1 depletion did not lead to apoptotic cell death but autophagy, another form of cell death. Indeed, induction of autophagy was revealed by cytoplasmic accumulation of autophagic vacuoles and by an increase in both LC3 (MAP1LC3A) protein conversion and the amount of acidic autophagic vacuoles. Knockdown of SNRPE dramatically decreased mTOR mRNA and protein levels and was accompanied by a deregulation of the mTOR pathway, which, in part, explains the SNRPE-dependent induction of autophagy. These findings provide a rational to develop new therapeutic agents targeting spliceosome core components in oncology. Cancer Res; 73(7); 2247-58. (C)2013 AACR.