mRNA 5′-leader trans-splicing in the chordates

  1. Amanda E. Vandenberghe1,
  2. Thomas H. Meedel2, and
  3. Kenneth E.M. Hastings1,3
  1. 1Montreal Neurological Institute and Biology Department, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2B4; 2Biology Department, Rhode Island College, Providence, Rhode Island 02908, USA

Abstract

We report the discovery of mRNA 5′-leader trans-splicing (SL trans-splicing) in the chordates. In the ascidian protochordate Ciona intestinalis, the mRNAs of at least seven genes undergo trans-splicing of a 16-nucleotide 5′-leader apparently derived from a 46-nucleotide RNA that shares features with previously characterized splice donor SL RNAs. SLtrans-splicing was known previously to occur in several protist and metazoan phyla, however, this is the first report of SLtrans-splicing within the deuterostome division of the metazoa. SL trans-splicing is not known to occur in the vertebrates. However, because ascidians are primitive chordates related to vertebrate ancestors, our findings raise the possibility of ancestral SL trans-splicing in the vertebrate lineage.

Keywords

Footnotes

  • 3 Corresponding author.

  • E-MAIL khastings{at}mni.mcgill.ca; FAX (514) 398-1509.

  • Article and publication are at www.genesdev.org/cgi/doi/10.1101/gad.865401.

    • Received November 7, 2000.
    • Accepted December 18, 2000.
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