We have identified a new pyrimidine-tract binding
factor, PUF, that is required, together with U2AF, for
efficient reconstitution of RNA splicing in vitro. The
activity has been purified and consists of two proteins,
PUF60 and the previously described splicing factor p54.
p54 and PUF60 form a stable complex in vitro when cotranslated
in a reaction mixture. PUF activity, in conjunction with
U2AF, facilitates the association of U2 snRNP with the
pre-mRNA. This reaction is dependent upon the presence
of the large subunit of U2AF, U2AF65, but not the small
subunit U2AF35. PUF60 is homologous to both U2AF65 and
the yeast splicing factor Mud2p. The C-terminal domain
of PUF60, the PUMP domain, is distantly related to the
RNA-recognition motif domain, and is probably important
in protein–protein interactions.