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Splicing of pre-mRNA requires the activity of at least eight different DEAD/H-box proteins that are involved in distinct steps of the splicing process. These proteins are driving the spliceosomal machinery by ATP-dependent unwinding of dsRNA and/or disrupting protein-RNA complexes. The spliceosomal DEAH-box proteins Prp2, Prp16, Prp22 and Prp43 share homologous C-terminal domains (CTD). We have determined the crystal structure of the CTD of human Prp22 by means of MAD. The fold of the human Prp22-CTD closely resembles that of the yeast Prp43-CTD. The similarity of these helicase-associated CTDs to the winged-helix and ratchet domains of the DNA helicase Hel308 suggests an analogous function in dsRNA binding and unwinding. Here, we also demonstrate that the CTD has a significant impact on the ATPase activity of yPrp22 in vitro. Homology modeling of the CTDs of hPrp2, hPrp16 and hPrp43 suggests that the CTDs of spliceosomal helicases contain conserved positively charged patches on their surfaces representing a common RNA-binding surface as well as divergent regions most likely mediating specific interactions with different proteins of the spliceosome.

The Homo sapiens DExD/H-box protein hPrp22 is a crucial component of the eukaryotic pre-mRNA splicing machinery. Within the splicing cycle, it is involved in the ligation of exons and generation of the lariat and it additionally catalyzes the release of mature mRNA from the spliceosomal U5 snRNP. The yeast homologue of this protein, yPrp22, shows ATP-dependent RNA-helicase activity and is capable of unwinding RNA/RNA duplex molecules. A truncated construct coding for residues 950-1183 of human Prp22, comprising the structurally and functionally uncharacterized C-terminal domain, was cloned into an Escherichia coli expression vector. The protein was subsequently overproduced, purified and crystallized. The crystals obtained diffracted to 2.1 A resolution, belonged to the tetragonal space group P4(1)2(1)2 or P4(3)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 78.2, c = 88.4 A, and contained one molecule in the asymmetric unit.