Masking of the Translin/Trax complex by endogenous RNA

Translin and Trax are components of an RNA binding complex initially detect ed in extracts of brain and testes. Although other tissues appear to contai n much lower or negligible levels of the Translin/Trax gel-shift complex, w e found, unexpectedly, that several of these peripheral tissues express Tra nslin and Trax proteins at levels comparable to those present in brain, In this study, we demonstrate that the paradoxically low levels of the Transli n/Trax complex in kidney and other peripheral tissues are due to masking of these sites by endogenous RNA. Thus, these findings indicate that the Tran slin/Trax complex is involved in RNA processing in a broader range of tissu es than previously recognized. (C) 2001 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.