Assembly of the α-Globin mRNA Stability Complex Reflects Binary Interaction between the Pyrimidine-Rich 3′ Untranslated Region Determinant and Poly(C) Binding Protein αCP

Abstract

Globin mRNAs accumulate to 95% of total cellular mRNA during terminal erythroid differentiation, reflecting their extraordinary stability. The stability of human α-globin mRNA is paralleled by formation of a sequence-specific RNA-protein (RNP) complex at a pyrimidine-rich site within its 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR), the α-complex. The proteins of the α-complex are widely expressed. The α-complex or a closely related complex also assembles at pyrimidine-rich 3′UTR segments of other stable mRNAs. These data suggest that the α-complex may constitute a general determinant of mRNA stability. One or more αCPs, members of a family of hnRNP K-homology domain poly(C) binding proteins, are essential constituents of the α-complex. The ability of αCPs to homodimerize and their reported association with additional RNA binding proteins such as AU-rich binding factor 1 (AUF1) and hnRNP K have suggested that the α-complex is a multisubunit structure. In the present study, we have addressed the composition of the α-complex. An RNA titration recruitment assay revealed that αCPs were quantitatively incorporated into the α-complex in the absence of associated AUF1 and hnRNP K. A high-affinity direct interaction between each of the three major αCP isoforms and the α-globin 3′UTR was detected, suggesting that each of these proteins might be sufficient for α-complex assembly. This sufficiency was further supported by the sequence-specific binding of recombinant αCPs to a spectrum of RNA targets. Finally, density sedimentation analysis demonstrated that the α-complex could accommodate only a single αCP. These data established that a single αCP molecule binds directly to the α-globin 3′UTR, resulting in a simple binary structure for the α-complex.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank Faith Cash for valuable contributions to the RNP recruitment assays and Chenglu Liu for skillful generation of recombinant αCP used in several of the assays. The manuscript was assembled with the expert secretarial assistance of Jessie Harper. The critical reading and constructive comments by Nancy E. Cooke are gratefully acknowledged.

This work was supported in part by grants HL38632-6 and CA72765-01 (S.A.L.). S.A.L. is an Investigator of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.