C. Guthrie, B. Patterson, "Spliceosomal snRNAs," Annual Review of Genetics, 22, 387-419, 1988.
Bruce Patterson (University of California, San Francisco): "Carl Woese [The Scientist, May 14, 1990, page 22] and Harry Noller pioneered the `phylogenetic approach' to rRNA structure/function, reasoning that highly conserved features of an RNA reflect functionally important domains or moieties (C.R. Woese, Microbiol. Rev., 51:221-71, 1987; H.F. Noller, Ann. Rev. Biochem., 53:119-62, 1984). We wrote our paper to make an snRNA sequence compilation available to the splicing field and to summarize current knowledge about the identified functions of conserved sequences. This represents a starting point for the making and breaking of models of snRNA structure and function. By examining the consensus lines, one can tap into millions of years of mutation filtered through natural selection. Seeing what alternatives are successful targets specific regions for contemplation or mutagenesis, obviating brute-force approaches. Further, a popular game in the RNA ...
