Small nucleolar RNA SNORD43

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Small nucleolar RNA SNORD43

Type:	Gene; snRNA; guide; CD-box;
2° structure:	Predicted; Griffiths-Jones SR
Seed alignment:	Griffiths-Jones SR
Avg length:	85.7 nucleotides
Avg identity:	61%

snoRNA U43 (also known as SNORD43) is a non-coding RNA (ncRNA) molecule which functions in the modification of other small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). This type of modifiying RNA is usually located in the nucleolus of the eukaryotic cell which is a major site of snRNA biogenesis. It is known as a small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) and also often referred to as a guide RNA.

snoRNA U43 belongs to the C/D box class of snoRNAs which contain the conserved sequence motifs known as the C box (UGAUGA) and the D box (CUGA). Most of the members of the box C/D family function in directing site-specific 2'-O-methylation of substrate RNAs^[1].

U43 is encoded in intron 1 of the ribosomal protein L3 gene in human and cow ^[2]. Three other snoRNAs ( U82, U83a and U83b) are also encoded in the same host gene but from different introns ^[2]. The Arabidopsis thaliana homologue is called snoR41 in the public sequence databases (Genbank). The rice homologue is expressed from a cluster also containing snoR16 ^[3].

U43 is hypothesised to guide methylation of 2'-O-ribose residues on 18S ribosomal RNA ^[3].

[edit] References

^ Galardi, S; Fatica A, Bachi A, Scaloni A, Presutti C, Bozzoni I (2002). "Purified box C/D snoRNPs are able to reproduce site-specific 2'-O-methylation of target RNA in vitro". Mol Cell Biol 22: 6663–6668. doi:10.1128/MCB.22.19.6663-6668.2002. PMID 12215523.
^ ^a ^b Duga, S; Asselta R, Malcovati M, Tenchini ML, Ronchi S, Simonic T (2000). "The intron-containing L3 ribosomal protein gene (RPL3): sequence analysis and identification of U43 and of two novel intronic small nucleolar RNAs". Biochim Biophys Acta 1490: 225–236. PMID 10684968.
^ ^a ^b Chen, CL; Liang D, Zhou H, Zhuo M, Chen YQ, Qu LH (2003). "The high diversity of snoRNAs in plants: identification and comparative study of 120 snoRNA genes from Oryza sativa". Nucleic Acids Res 31: 2601–2613. doi:10.1093/nar/gkg373. PMID 12736310.