RNA recognition motif 2 (RRM2) found in the U1A/U2B"/SNF protein family
This subfamily corresponds to the RRM2 of U1A/U2B"/SNF protein family, containing Drosophila sex determination protein SNF and its two mammalian counterparts, U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein A (U1 snRNP A or U1-A or U1A) and U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein B" (U2 snRNP B" or U2B"), all of which consist of two RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) connected by a variable, flexible linker. SNF is an RNA-binding protein found in the U1 and U2 snRNPs of Drosophila where it is essential in sex determination and possesses a novel dual RNA binding specificity. SNF binds with high affinity to both Drosophila U1 snRNA stem-loop II (SLII) and U2 snRNA stem-loop IV (SLIV). It can also bind to poly(U) RNA tracts flanking the alternatively spliced Sex-lethal (Sxl) exon, as does Drosophila Sex-lethal protein (SXL). U1A is an RNA-binding protein associated with the U1 snRNP, a small RNA-protein complex involved in pre-mRNA splicing. U1A binds with high affinity and specificity to stem-loop II (SLII) of U1 snRNA. It is predominantly a nuclear protein that shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm independently of interactions with U1 snRNA. Moreover, U1A may be involved in RNA 3'-end processing, specifically cleavage, splicing and polyadenylation, through interacting with a large number of non-snRNP proteins. U2B", initially identified to bind to stem-loop IV (SLIV) at the 3' end of U2 snRNA, is a unique protein that comprises of the U2 snRNP. Additional research indicates U2B" binds to U1 snRNA stem-loop II (SLII) as well and shows no preference for SLIV or SLII on the basis of binding affinity. U2B" does not require an auxiliary protein for binding to RNA and its nuclear transport is independent on U2 snRNA binding.