Question

Which of the following is (are) true of snRNPs?

1) They are made up of both protein and RNA
2) They bind to splice sites at each end of the intron
3) They join together to form a large structure called the spliceosome
4) Only A and C are true
5) A, B, and C are true

Answer 1

snRNPs are composed of protein and RNA, bind to splice sites at each end of introns, and form a spliceosome for mRNA splicing. All statements (A, B, and C) about snRNPs in the question are true.

Step-by-step explanation:

Small ribonuclear proteins (snRNPs) are essential components of the splicing machinery in cells. They perform several crucial functions in the process of splicing, which is a fundamental step in the maturation of messenger RNA (mRNA) in eukaryotic cells.

Firstly, snRNPs are indeed composed of both RNA and protein elements, making statement 1) true. Secondly, these complexes bind to specific splice sites at each end of the intron, which supports the accuracy of statement 2). Lastly, snRNPs associate with each other and additional proteins to form a larger assembly known as the spliceosome, which facilitates the process of splicing, confirming that statement 3) is also true.

Therefore, the correct answer to the student's question is 5) A, B, and C are true, demonstrating that snRNPs are made up of protein and RNA, bind to splice sites, and join together to form the spliceosome.