Making ends meet: a model for RNA splicing in fungal mitochondria

Abstract

On the basis of available nucleotide sequence and genetic data; we present a model for RNA splicing in fungal mitochondria. Seven intron RNAs of two fungal species can form identical secondary structures, involving four conserved sequences, which bring the ends of each intron together and allow an internal guide RNA sequence to pair with exon bases adjacent to the splice junctions. The splicing sites are thus aligned precisely within a conserved structure, which we suggest could present specific recognition signals to the proteins that catalyse the splicing reaction.