Sequence and spatial requirements for the tissue- and species-independent 3{prime}-end processing mechanism of plant mRNA
- Rutgers Univ., Piscataway, NJ (United States)
Two cis-regulatory regions are required for efficient mRNA 3{prime}-end processing of the maize 27-kDa zein mRNA: a region containing a duplicated AAUGAA poly(A) signal and a region that is present upstream from it. Strict spatial positioning of these two regions is required for efficient mRNA 3{prime}-end processing. Insertions of a stuffer sequence as short as 17 or 18 bp either between the upstream region and the two AAUGAA motifs or between the two AAUGAA motifs drastically reduced the efficiency of 3{prime}-end processing. Mutational analyses of the nucleotide preference at the fourth position of the AAUGAA motif revealed the preference order G > A >> C or U, suggesting that AAUAAA is neither a defective nor an optimal poly(A) signal for the 27-kDa zein mRNA. As for the 3{prime} control region of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) transcription unit, the mRNA 3{prime}-end processing mechanism mediated by the 27-kDa zein 3{prime} control sequence is neither tissue nor species specific. The 3{prime} upstream sequence of the 27-kDa zein gene can functionally replace that of the CaMV transcription unit. Conversely, the CaMV upstream sequence can mediate mRNA polyadenylation in the presence of a duplicated 27-kDa zein poly(A) signal. However, instead of the proximal poly(A) signal normally used in the 27-kDa zein mRNA, the distal signal is utilized. These results suggest that a general mechanism controls the 3{prime}-end processing of plant mRNAs and that the cis-regulatory functions mediated by their upstream regions are interchangeable. 35 refs., 5 figs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 39419
- Journal Information:
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, Vol. 14, Issue 10; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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