Stem Loop Binding Protein (SLBP)

SLBP encodes a protein that binds to the stem-loop structure in replication-dependent histone mRNAs. Histone mRNAs do not contain introns or polyadenylation signals, and are processed by endonucleolytic cleavage. The stem-loop structure is essential for efficient processing but this structure also controls the transport, translation and stability of histone mRNAs. Expression of the protein is regulated during the cell cycle, increasing more than 10-fold during the latter part of G1.

Database searches revealed that the genomic region of HBP had previously been sequenced during the search for the Huntington disease locus on 4p16.3. The HBP gene has 8 exons covering approximately 19.5 kb.