Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Studying RNA Interactors of Protein Kinase RNA-Activated during the Mammalian Cell Cycle
Published on: March 5, 2019
hClp1: a novel kinase revitalizes RNA metabolism
Stefan Weitzer1, Javier Martinez
1Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria. stefan.weitzer@imba.oeaw.ac.at
Abstract:
The RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) is the effector complex in the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. In order to become assembled into RISC, synthetic small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are phosphorylated at the 5' end upon transfection into cells. The enzymatic activity responsible for this phosphorylation event has so far remained elusive. Using a classical chromatographic approach, we recently identified and characterized hClp1 as the "siRNA-kinase" in HeLa cells. hClp1 is in fact a general RNA-kinase, and a component of the tRNA splicing endonuclease and the mRNA 3' end formation machinery. We discuss the relevance of this finding, and provide further views and perspectives for the analysis of hClp1 in tRNA splicing, mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation and other RNA metabolic processes in which hClp1 might play a role.
Related Concept Videos
RNA Stability
RNA Stability
Restarting Stalled Replication Forks
Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases
All three eukaryotic RNAPs require specific transcription factors, of which the...
Eukaryotic RNA Polymerases
All three eukaryotic RNAPs require specific transcription factors, of which the...
RNA Interference
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...

