U4 small nuclear RNA 6 pseudogene (RNU4-6P)

RNU4-6P, also known as U4 small nuclear RNA 6 pseudogene, is a sequence in the human genome that closely resembles the functional U4 snRNA gene but contains mutations or structural changes that prevent it from producing a functional RNA product[3]. While canonical U4 snRNA is a critical component of the spliceosomal machinery involved in pre-mRNA splicing[2], the pseudogene does not participate in splicing or any known cellular process and is generally considered transcriptionally inactive. U4 snRNA pseudogenes are thought to arise by reverse transcription and integration into the genome, resulting in DNA elements that may be used for genome evolution studies but have no therapeutic value or druggability[3]. Additional Context: U4 snRNA itself (not the pseudogene) forms a U4/U6 di-snRNP and tri-snRNP (with U5) and is essential for spliceosome assembly and function[1][2]. Pseudogenes, by definition, are not active genes, and no pharmacological or biomarker relevance is attributed to them. Some nomenclature confusion exists, as sources sometimes ambiguously refer to pseudogenes simply as “U4” or “U4/8,” but canonical U4 snRNA (RNU4-1) is the true functional element; RNU4-6P is not. Summary for structured data: RNU4-6P is not a valid therapeutic target, is a non-coding RNA pseudogene with no known function, druggability, or disease association[3]. The query is technically incorrect for target identification purposes.

Other names

U4RNU4-6PU4/8U4 RNA pseudogene