Disease relevance of ROK1

• The MBP-Rok1 hybrid protein was synthesized in Escherichia coli and purified by amylose affinity column and ion exchange chromatography [1].

High impact information on ROK1

• Screens for mutations showing synthetic lethality with deletion of the SNR10 gene or with a temperature-sensitive gar1 allele both identified the ROK1 gene, encoding a putative, ATP-dependent RNA helicase of the DEAD-box family [2].
• The yeast ROK1 gene has been initially identified as a high copy plasmid suppressor of the kem1 null mutation and implicated in microtubule-mediated functions [1].
• Based on the deduced amino acid sequence of the ROK1 gene, Rok1p has been classified in the DEAD protein family of ATP-dependent RNA helicases [1].
• Both in vivo lethality tests of the mutations and biochemical characterization of the mutant proteins suggest that ATP hydrolysis activity of Rok1p is essential for ROK1 function [1].
• The lack of RNA dependency and some of the mutational phenotypes of ROK1 differentiate this gene from other members of the family [1].

Biological context of ROK1

• ROK1 is essential for viability and is closely linked to KEM1 on chromosome VII [3].
• The ROK1 gene was initially identified by its ability on a high-copy number plasmid to suppress the nuclear fusion defect caused by the kem1 null mutation [4].
• ROK1 is required for cell cycle progression and also for rRNA processing [5].
• We have analyzed the ROK1 gene expression both at the protein and RNA levels [6].
• Identification of a putative DEAD-box RNA helicase and a zinc-finger protein in Candida albicans by functional complementation of the S. cerevisiae rok1 mutation [5].

Other interactions of ROK1

• ORF G1651 shows 100% identity with the ROK1 protein which is a putative RNA helicase of the 'DEAD box' protein family [7].
• Interestingly, the ROK1 gene which, like RRP5, was previously isolated in a screen for synthetic lethal mutations with snR10 deletion, was here identified as a high copy suppressor of the rrp5delta6 temperature-sensitive allele [8].
• We identified two novel genes, CHR1 and CSR1, of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, by functional complementation of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae rok1 mutation [5].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of ROK1

• Western blot experiments using anti-Rok1 antibodies revealed a single protein band of 64 kDa which is an expected size from the Rok1 amino acid sequence [6].

References