Amanda Solem
From WikidChem
Amanda is a graduate student in the Pyle Lab .
Research
MSS116 is a yeast nuclear-encoded DEAD-box protein targeted to the mitochondria, which affects in vivo splicing of both group I and group II introns (1,2). Interestingly, in vivo evidence suggests that MSS116 has both a direct role in splicing as well as an indirect effect on expression of intron-encoded proteins (2). Furthermore, a related protein has been shown to promote splicing in vitro (3). However, MSS116’s mechanism of action is unclear. To better understand how MSS116 may function in these roles, we are investigating basic biochemical properties of the protein in vitro. We have shown that MSS116 can promote splicing of the group II intron ai5g under near-physiological conditions in an ATP-dependent manner, can cleave ATP at a rate typical for DEAD-box proteins, and can displace a small duplex with a 3’-overhang, 5’-overhang or a blunt end. Interestingly, MSS116 appears to be a member of a subclass of DEAD-box proteins which are able to facilitate ai5γ splicing in vitro. Also, a SAT/AAA mutant can facilitate splicing and cleave ATP, but has a defect in unwinding duplexes while a mutant that lacks ATPase activity cannot facilitate splicing.
1. Seraphin B. (1989) Nature 337, 84-87.
2. Huang H.R., Rowe C.E., Mohr S., Jiang Y., Lambowitz A.M., and Perlman
P.S. (2004) PNAS 102(1), 163-8.
3. Mohr S., Matsuura M., Perlman P., and Lambowitz A.M. (2006) PNAS 103(10),
3569-3574.
