Genetics, Vol 141, 1101-1111, Copyright © 1995


INVESTIGATIONS

Two Distinct Temperature-Sensitive Alleles at the elav Locus of Drosophila Are Suppressed Nonsense Mutations of the Same Tryptophan Codon

M. L. Samson, M. J. Lisbin and K. White
Waksman Institute, Rutgers, The State University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08855, and Department of Biology and Volen National Center for Complex Systems, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02254 Present address: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198.

The Drosophila gene elav encodes a 483-amino-acid-long nuclear RNA binding protein required for normal neuronal differentiation and maintenance. We molecularly analyzed the three known viable alleles of the gene, namely elav(ts1), elav(FliJ1), and elav(FliJ2), which manifest temperature-sensitive phenotypes. The modification of the elav(FliJ1) allele corresponds to the change of glycine(426) (GGA) into a glutamic acid (GAA). Surprisingly, elav(ts1) and elav(FliJ2) were both found to have tryptophan(419) (TGG) changed into two different stop codons, TAG and TGA, respectively. Unexpectedly, protein analysis from elav(ts1) and elav(FliJ2) reveals not only the predicted 45-kD truncated ELAV protein due to translational truncation, but also a predominant full-size 50-kD ELAV protein, both at permissive and nonpermissive temperatures. The full-length protein present in elav(ts1) and elav(FliJ2) can a priori be explained by one of several mechanisms leading to functional suppression of the nonsense mutation or by detection of a previously unrecognized ELAV isoform of similar size resulting from alternative splicing and unaffected by the stop codon. Experiments described in this article support the functional suppression of the nonsense mutation as the mechanism responsible for the full-length protein.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Nucleic Acids ResHome page
G. Toba and K. White
The third RNA recognition motif of Drosophila ELAV protein has a role in multimerization
Nucleic Acids Res., March 27, 2008; 36(4): 1390 - 1399.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
O. Yildiz, H. Kearney, B. C. Kramer, and J. J. Sekelsky
Mutational Analysis of the Drosophila DNA Repair and Recombination Gene mei-9
Genetics, May 1, 2004; 167(1): 263 - 273.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
L. A. Wrischnik, J. R. Timmer, L. A. Megna, and T. W. Cline
Recruitment of the Proneural Gene scute to the Drosophila Sex-Determination Pathway
Genetics, December 1, 2003; 165(4): 2007 - 2027.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
A. T. Chao, H. A. Dierick, T. M. Addy, and A. Bejsovec
Mutations in Eukaryotic Release Factors 1 and 3 Act as General Nonsense Suppressors in Drosophila
Genetics, October 1, 2003; 165(2): 601 - 612.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Genes Dev.Home page
M. J. Lisbin, J. Qiu, and K. White
The neuron-specific RNA-binding protein ELAV regulates neuroglian alternative splicing in neurons and binds directly to its pre-mRNA
Genes & Dev., October 1, 2001; 15(19): 2546 - 2561.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
M. J. Lisbin, M. Gordon, Y. M. Yannoni, and K. White
Function of RRM Domains of Drosophila melanogaster ELAV: RNP1 Mutations and RRM Domain Replacements With ELAV Family Proteins and SXL
Genetics, August 1, 2000; 155(4): 1789 - 1798.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
D. W. Paetkau, V. A. Elagin, L. M. Sendi, and D. R. Hyde
Isolation and Characterization of Drosophila retinal degeneration B Suppressors
Genetics, February 1, 1999; 151(2): 713 - 724.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Home page
J. Cell Sci.Home page
Y. Yannoni and K White
Domain necessary for Drosophila ELAV nuclear localization: function requires nuclear ELAV
J. Cell Sci., January 12, 1999; 112(24): 4501 - 4512.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Home page
GeneticsHome page
M.-L. Samson
Evidence for 3' Untranslated Region-Dependent Autoregulation of the Drosophila Gene Encoding the Neuronal Nuclear RNA-Binding Protein ELAV
Genetics, October 1, 1998; 150(2): 723 - 733.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


Home page
J. Neurosci.Home page
B. R. E. Klagges, G. Heimbeck, T. A. Godenschwege, A. Hofbauer, G. O. Pflugfelder, R. Reifegerste, D. Reisch, M. Schaupp, S. Buchner, and E. Buchner
Invertebrate Synapsins: A Single Gene Codes for Several Isoforms in Drosophila
J. Neurosci., May 15, 1996; 16(10): 3154 - 3165.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Biol. Chem.Home page
M.-L. Samson
Drosophila Arginase Is Produced from a Nonvital Gene That Contains the elav Locus within Its Third Intron
J. Biol. Chem., September 29, 2000; 275(40): 31107 - 31114.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]