Transcriptional regulation of snRNAs and its significance for plant development

Small nuclear RNA (snRNA) represents a distinct class of non-coding RNA molecules. As these molecules have fundamental roles in RNA metabolism, including pre-mRNA splicing and ribosomal RNA processing, it is essential that their transcription be tightly regulated in eukaryotic cells. The genome of each organism contains hundreds of snRNA genes. Although the structures of these genes are highly diverse among organisms, the trans-acting factors that regulate snRNA transcription are evolutionarily conserved. Recent studies of the Arabidopsis thaliana srd2-1 mutant, which is defective in the snRNA transcription factor, provide insight into the physiological significance of snRNA regulation in plant development. Here, I review the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying snRNA transcription.