Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Sp) Cdc5p and
its Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) ortholog,
Cef1p, are essential components of the spliceosome. In S.
cerevisiae, a subcomplex of the spliceosome that includes
Cef1p can be isolated on its own; this has been termed the nineteen
complex (Ntc) because it contains Prp19p. Components of the
Ntc include Cef1p, Snt309p, Syf2p/Ntc31p, Ntc30p/Isy1p, Ntc20p
and at least six unidentified proteins. We recently identified
∼30 proteins that copurified with Cdc5p and Cef1p. Previously
unidentified S. pombe proteins in this purification
were called Cwfs for complexed with five and novel S.
cerevisiae proteins were called Cwcs for complexed with
Cef1p. Using these proteomics data coupled with available
information regarding Ntc composition, we have investigated
protein identities and interactions among Ntc components. Our
data indicate that Cwc2p, Prp46p, Clf1p, and Syf1p most likely
represent Ntc40p, Ntc50p, Ntc77p, and Ntc90p, respectively.
We show that Sc Cwc2p interacts with Prp19p and is
involved in pre-mRNA splicing. Sp cwf2+,
the homolog of Sc CWC2, is allelic with the previously
identified Sp prp3+. We present evidence
that Sp Cwf7p, an essential protein with obvious homologs
in many eukaryotes but not S. cerevisiae, is a functional
counterpart of Sc Snt309p and binds Sp Cwf8p
(a homolog of Sc Prp19p). Further, our data indicate
that a mutation in the U-box of Prp19p disrupts these numerous
protein interactions causing Cef1p degradation and Ntc instability.