[A new class of RNP particles containing small RNA homologous to short dispersed DNA repetitive sequences].

Here we show that small RNAs homologous to short interspersed repetitive DNA sequences: ID, B1, B2--in rat cells and Alu in human cells are complexed with specific proteins to form small nuclear and cytoplasmic RNP particles (alpha RNP) with common properties. alpha-RNP differ from other ribonucleoproteins by composition and properties. alpha RNA molecules are apparently transcribed by RNA polymerase III. alpha-RNAs are capable of stable antisense hybridization with specific messenger RNAs. Expression of alpha-RNA is specifically regulated by gene regulatory factors. The data obtained support the suggestion that alpha-RNA may belong to the group of regulatory eukaryotic RNAs and that alpha-RNP might be involved in the coordinative control of the expression of the sets of genes with SINE-homologous sequences in regulatory regions.