Isolation and purification of U7 and snRNP particles

A procedure was developed for the isolation of U7 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles involved in the processing of histone pre-mRNAs. U7 snRNP particles were fractionated from the rest of the snRNPs by means of a series of gel filtration and affinity chromatography steps. The isolated assembly of U7 snRNP particles appeared to be intact and pure as judged by gel electrophoresis of their RNA. No detectable RNA species were monitored other than U7 RNA.