A cDNA encoding the 60 kDa subunit of mammalian splicing factor SF3a has been isolated. The deduced protein sequence reveals a 30% identity to the PRP9 splicing protein of the yeast S.cerevisiae. The highest homology is present in a zinc finger-like region in the C-terminal domain of both proteins. The PRP9 zinc finger-like motif has been replaced by the equivalent region of mammalian SF3a60. The chimeric protein rescues the temperature-sensitive phenotype of the prp9-1 mutant strain demonstrating that not only the structure but also the function of this domain has been conserved during evolution.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.