- Ribonucleoprotein
Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) is a
nucleoprotein that containsRNA , i.e. it is an association that combinesribonucleic acid andprotein together. A few examples are known like theribosome , the enzymetelomerase and small nuclear RNPs (snRNPs) which are implicated inpre-mRNA splicing and are among the main components of thenucleolus .RNP in snRNPs has an RNA-binding motif in its RNA-binding protein. Aromatic
amino acid residues in this motif result in stacking interactions with RNA.Lysine residues in the helical portion of RNA-binding proteins help to stabilize interactions with nucleic acids. This nucleic acid binding is strengthened by electrostatic attraction between the positive lysineside chain s and the negativenucleic acid phosphate backbones.Anti-RNP antibodies are associated with "
mixed connective tissue disease " and are also detected in nearly 40% ofLupus erythematosus patients. Two types of anti-RNP antibodies are closely related toSjögren's syndrome : SS-A (Ro) and SS-B (La).RNPs play an important role in
influenzavirus A replication. Theviral RNA is transcribed into mRNAs by theRNA polymerase attached to the RNPs.List of RNPs
This is a (partial) list of ribonucleoprotein families:
*hnRNP
*snRNP
*Signal recognition particle (a protein coatedribozyme )
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