New talents for an old acquaintance: the SR protein splicing factor ASF/SF2 functions in the maintenance of genome stability.

ASF/SF2 is a well-studied SR protein that plays important roles in pre-mRNA splicing and other aspects of RNA metabolism. Genetic inactivation experiments have revealed the fundamental roles of ASF/SF2 and other SR proteins in cell viability and animal development. However, the nature of the events triggered by in vivo depletion of ASF/SF2 remained largely elusive. Recently, we have demonstrated a significant function of ASF/SF2 in the maintenance of genome stability by preventing the formation of R loops, which provided new insights into the essential roles of ASF/SF2 in cellular physiology.