U2 small nuclear RNA 3' end formation is directed by a critical internal structure distinct from the processing site.

Mature U2 small nuclear RNA is generated by the removal of 11 to 12 nucleotides from the 3' end of the primary transcript. This pre-U2 RNA processing reaction takes place in the cytoplasm. In this study, the sequences and/or structures of pre-U2 RNA that are important for 3' processing have been examined in an in vitro system.

The U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle associates with nuclear factors in a pre-mRNA independent reaction.

Northern blot analysis of HeLa cell nuclear extract following electrophoresis in nondenaturing gels revealed that a small proportion of U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) displays a low mobility, in confirmation of previous reports. This low mobility form of U2 snRNP (termed LMC, for low mobility complex) also formed in vitro when U2 snRNP present in HeLa cytoplasmic S100 was added to a micrococcal nuclease-treated nuclear extract. Of greater experimental value, we found that the LMC also formed when a T7 U2 RNA transcript was assembled into U2 snRNP in a HeLa cytoplasmic S100 system, followed by its incubation in micrococcal nuclease-treated nuclear extract.