RNA, U6atac small nuclear (RNU6ATAC)

RNA, U6atac small nuclear (RNU6ATAC) is a small non-coding nuclear RNA (snRNA) that is a critical catalytic component of the minor (U12-dependent) spliceosome, a specialized cellular machine responsible for the splicing of a rare subclass of introns (minor or U12-type introns) from precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs)[1][2][3][4]. The minor spliceosome consists of distinct snRNAs (U11, U12, U4atac, U6atac, U5), and U6atac is essential for the catalytic core of this complex[1][2][3]. U6atac is highly unstable compared to other snRNAs and serves as a rate-limiting factor in the splicing of minor introns, which affects expression of hundreds of genes involved in diverse and critical cellular pathways[1]. Its abundance can be regulated by cellular stress pathways such as p38MAPK, thus influencing gene expression post-transcriptionally[1]. Although dysregulation of minor intron splicing, via changes in U6atac, impacts pathways important in diseases (e.g., tumor suppressor expression, cytokine regulation), RNU6ATAC is not itself a classic therapeutic target such as a receptor, enzyme, or transporter, and no drugs are known to directly interact with it[1][4].

Other names

RNU6ATAC1RNA, U6atac small nuclear 1U6ATACRNA, U6atac small nuclear (U12-dependent splicing)