Box H/ACA small ribonucleoproteins

Abstract

Box H/ACA RNAs represent an abundant, evolutionarily conserved class of small noncoding RNAs. All H/ACA RNAs associate with a common set of proteins, and they function as ribonucleoprotein (RNP) enzymes mainly in the site-specific pseudouridylation of ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). Some H/ACA RNPs function in the nucleolytic processing of precursor rRNA (pre-rRNA) and synthesis of telomeric DNA. Thus, H/ACA RNPs are essential for three fundamental cellular processes: protein synthesis, mRNA splicing, and maintenance of genome integrity. Recently, great progress has been made toward understanding of the biogenesis, intracellular trafficking, structure, and function of H/ACA RNPs.