Assembly of the ribonucleoprotein complex containing the mRNA of the β-subunit of the mitochondrial H+-ATP synthase requires the participation of two distal cis-acting elements and a complex set of cellular trans-acting proteins

The mRNA encoding the beta-subunit of the mitochondrial H(+)-ATP synthase (beta-F1-ATPase) is localized in an approx. 150 nm structure of the hepatocyte of mammals. In the present study, we have investigated the cis- and trans-acting factors involved in the generation of the ribonucleoprotein complex containing beta-F1-ATPase mRNA. Two cis-acting elements (beta1.2 and 3'beta) have been identified. The beta1.2 element is placed in the open reading frame, downstream of the region encoding the mitochondrial pre-sequence of the protein. The 3'beta element is the 3' non-translated region of the mRNA. Complex sets of proteins from the soluble and non-soluble fractions of the liver interact with t…