Association of the rat heterogeneous nuclear RNA-ribonucleoprotein F with TATA-binding protein

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein F (hnRNP-F) has been shown to be a pre-mRNA splicing factor, Recent studies have uncovered the coordination of synthesis of pre-mRNA and its processing, including post-transcriptional m odification and splicing. Here, we present evidence for an association betw een a splicing factor, hnRNP-F, and TATA-binding protein (TBP), which is an essential factor needed for transcription initiation, An affinity detectio n experiment revealed hnRNP-F in the preparation of TBP-interacting protein s. HnRNP-F was associated with TBP in nuclear extracts and was capable of d irect binding to TBP in vitro, These results suggest that hnRNP-F is associ ated with TBP in the cell, HnRNP-F was observed in abundance in the thymus, spleen and testis, and its distribution pattern was similar to that of TBP , implying a functional coordination of transcription and splicing. We assu me that the splicing machinery is associated with the transcription apparat us as a prerequisite prior to transcriptional elongation, (C) 1999 Federati on of European Biochemical Societies.