Ribonucleoprotein (RNP) is a nucleoprotein that contains RNA, i.e. it is an association that combines ribonucleic acid and protein together. A few examples are known like the ribosome, the enzyme telomerase and small nuclear RNPs (snRNPs) which are implicated in pre-mRNA splicing and are among the main components of the nucleolus.
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 lysine side chains and the negative nucleic acid phosphate backbones.
Anti-RNP antibodies are associated with mixed connective tissue disease and are also detected in nearly 40% of Lupus erythematosus patients. Two types of anti-RNP antibodies are closely related to Sjögren's syndrome: SS-A (Ro) and SS-B (La).
RNPs play an important role in influenzavirus A replication. The viral RNA is transcribed into mRNAs by the RNA polymerase attached to the RNPs.
List of RNPs
This is a (partial) list of ribonucleoprotein families:
- hnRNP
- Ribosome
- snRNP
- Signal recognition particle (a protein coated ribozyme)
- Telomerase
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