U1 small nuclear RNA 2 (RNU1-2)

U1 small nuclear RNA 2 (RNU1-2) is a noncoding RNA that serves as a key component of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) complex, which initiates spliceosome-mediated removal of introns from pre-mRNA transcripts, a critical process for generating mature messenger RNA in eukaryotic cells[1][2][3][4]. RNU1-2 forms the RNA backbone of the U1 snRNP through protein-RNA interactions and base pairing with the 5′ splice site of pre-mRNA, ensuring accurate splicing. It is not considered a traditional therapeutic target (e.g., not a receptor, enzyme, transporter) but is essential for basic cell function and is sometimes used as a stable reference gene in molecular biology assays relating to gene expression and cancer biomarker discovery[1]. Errors in its function or processing can contribute to the splicing defects observed in many diseases, including cancers and certain genetic disorders[2][3][4].

Other names

U1C1U1C21RNU1C1RNU1C2RNA, U1C1 small nuclearRNA, U1C2 small nuclearRNU1-2