Methylphosphate cap structure increases the stability of 7SK, B2 and U6 small RNAs in Xenopus oocytes.

We studied the role of the methylphosphate cap structure in the stability and nucleocytoplasmic transport by microinjecting U6, 7SK and B2 RNAs into the Xenopus oocytes. In every case, the methylphosphate capped RNAs were 3 to 9 times more stable than the uncapped RNAs. When a methylphosphate cap structure was placed on human H1 RNA which is normally not capped, its stability was improved 2-7 fold. These data show that the methylphosphate cap enhances the stability of 7SK, B2, H1 and U6 RNAs. The methylphosphate-capped 7SK RNA was transported into the nucleus from cytoplasm, but remained in the nucleus when injected into the nucleus; in this respect, 7SK RNA exhibited properties previously shown for U6 RNA. Both U6 and 7SK RNAs with ppp on their 5' ends were transported from cytoplasm to the nucleus suggesting that the methylphosphate cap structure is not required for transport of these RNAs across the nuclear membrane.