Human U2B″ protein binding to snRNA stemloops

The human U2B″ protein is one of the unique proteins that comprise the U2 snRNP, but it is also a representative of the U1A/U2B″ protein family. In the U2 snRNP, it is bound to Stem-Loop IV (SLIV) of the U2 snRNA. We find that in vitro it binds not only to human SLIV, but also to Stem-Loop II (SLII) from human U1 snRNA and to Drosophila U2 snRNA SLIV. The thermodynamics of these binding interactions show a striking similarity, leading to the conclusion that U2B″ has a relaxed specificity for its RNA targets. The binding properties of U2B″ are distinct from those of human U1A and of Drosophila SNF, despite its high homology to those proteins, and so provide important new information on how this protein family has modulated its target preferences.

Research highlights► snRNP protein U2B″ binds hairpins from U2 and U1 snRNA. ► RNA stemloop IV has evolved to inhibit U1A protein binding. ► The observed heat capacity could be due to conformational changes coupled to binding.