Splicing of in vitro synthesized messenger RNA precursors in HeLa cell extracts

Using a whole cell extract of HeLa cells, we synthesized unspliced RNAs containing the first two leaders and the first intervening sequence of the adenovirus 2 major late transcription unit. Upon incubation of these pre-mRNAs in reaction mixtures containing a nuclear extract and a postnuclear fraction (S100), removal of the first intervening sequence and concomitant joining of the first leader to the second leader was observed. This splicing reaction requires proteins, Mg2+ ions, and ATP. The S100 fraction alone has no splicing activity but stimulates splicing when added to the nuclear extract. Upon fractionation of the postnuclear S100 by chromatography on ion exchange and gel filtration columns, the stimulatory activity copurifies with small ribonucleoprotein particles.