This web page was produced as an assignment for Genetics 564, an undergraduate capstone course at UW-Madison.
What is Gene Ontology?
Gene Ontology (GO) is a database used to define basic properties of a gene or protein. Through GO, three different properties of the gene/protein are described:
1. Cellular Component - the part of the cell in which the gene product localizes
2. Molecular Function - how the gene product physically operates
3. Biological Processes - what general cellular processes or pathways the gene product is involved in
1. Cellular Component - the part of the cell in which the gene product localizes
2. Molecular Function - how the gene product physically operates
3. Biological Processes - what general cellular processes or pathways the gene product is involved in
What is the Gene Ontology of SNRPN?
1. Cellular Component - Nucleoplasm
The SNRPN protein localizes in the nucleoplasm of the cell. The nucleoplasm is the viscous fluid within the nucleus that provides structure to the nuclear components and allows various metabolic processes to occur within it [1].
The SNRPN protein localizes in the nucleoplasm of the cell. The nucleoplasm is the viscous fluid within the nucleus that provides structure to the nuclear components and allows various metabolic processes to occur within it [1].
Figure 1. Location of nucleoplasm (labeled in red) within the human cell.
2. Molecular Function - RNA Binding
The molecular function of the SNRPN protein is RNA binding. This means that within the cell, SNRPN is known to be functional through physically binding RNA molecules [1].
The molecular function of the SNRPN protein is RNA binding. This means that within the cell, SNRPN is known to be functional through physically binding RNA molecules [1].
Figure 2. SNRPN binding an RNA molecule.
3. Biological Processes - Splicing/mRNA Processing
The biological processes of the SNRPN protein is splicing/mRNA processing. This means that functional SNRPN operates in the pathways of splicing and mRNA processing, which means that SNRPN is responsible for preparing the final genetic messages so that they can leave the nucleus and be translated into proteins [1].
The biological processes of the SNRPN protein is splicing/mRNA processing. This means that functional SNRPN operates in the pathways of splicing and mRNA processing, which means that SNRPN is responsible for preparing the final genetic messages so that they can leave the nucleus and be translated into proteins [1].
Figure 3. The splicing process. In this process, SNRPN and other proteins associate with RNAs, called snRNAs, in the cell nucleus to form snRNPs. snRNPs coordinate to form a complex called the spliceosome, which is responsible for processing pre-mRNA into mature RNA so that it can leave the nucleus and be translated into proteins
References
[1] Gene Ontology: SNRPN <http://amigo.geneontology.org/amigo/gene_product/UniProtKB:P63162>