Phosphorylation status of the Kep1 protein alters its affinity for its protein binding partner alternative splicing factor ASF/SF2
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Mutations in the Drosophila kep1 gene, encoding a single maxi KH (K homology) domain-containing RNA-binding protein, result in a reduction of fertility in part due to the disruption of the apoptotic programme during oogenesis. This disruption is concomitant with the appearance of an alternatively spliced mRNA isoform encoding the inactive caspase dredd. We generated a Kep1 antibody and have found that the Kep1 protein is present in the nuclei of both the follicle and nurse cells during all stages of Drosophila oogenesis. We have shown that the Kep1 protein is phosphorylated in ovaries induced to undergo apoptosis following treatment with the topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin. We have also found that the Kep1 protein interacts specifically with the SR (serine/arginine-rich) protein family member ASF/SF2 (alternative splicing factor/splicing factor 2). This interaction is independent of the ability of Kep1 to bind RNA, but is dependent on the phosphorylation of the Kep1 protein, with the interaction between Kep1 and ASF/SF2 increasing in the presence of activated Src. Using a CD44v5 alternative splicing reporter construct, we observed 99% inclusion of the alternatively spliced exon 5 following kep1 transfection in a cell line that constitutively expresses activated Src. This modulation in splicing was not observed in the parental NIH 3T3 cell line in which we obtained 7.5% exon 5 inclusion following kep1 transfection. Our data suggest a mechanism of action in which the in vivo phosphorylation status of the Kep1 protein affects its affinity towards its protein binding partners and in turn may allow for the modulation of alternative splice site selection in Kep1–ASF/SF2-dependent target genes.Keywords:
Splicing factor
SR protein
Protein splicing
Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus (KSHV) ORF57 is a multifunctional post-transcriptional regulator essential for viral gene expression during KSHV lytic infection. ORF57 requires interactions with various cellular proteins for its function. Here, we identified serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 3 (SRSF3, formerly known as SRp20) as a cellular cofactor involved in ORF57-mediated splicing of KSHV K8β RNA. In the absence of ORF57, SRSF3 binds to a suboptimal K8β intron and inhibits K8β splicing. Knockdown of SRSF3 promotes K8β splicing, mimicking the effect of ORF57. The N-terminal half of ORF57 binds to the RNA recognition motif of SRSF3, which prevents SRSF3 from associating with the K8β intron RNA and therefore attenuates the suppressive effect of SRSF3 on K8β splicing. ORF57 also promotes splicing of heterologous non-KSHV transcripts that are negatively regulated by SRSF3, indicating that the effect of ORF57 on SRSF3 activity is independent of RNA target. SPEN proteins, previously identified as ORF57-interacting partners, suppress ORF57 splicing activity by displacing ORF57 from SRSF3–RNA complexes. In summary, we have identified modulation of SRSF3 activity as the molecular mechanism by which ORF57 promotes RNA splicing.
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The Fe(II) and 2-oxoglutarate dependent oxygenase Jmjd6 has been shown to hydroxylate lysine residues in the essential splice factor U2 auxiliary factor 65 kDa subunit (U2AF65) and to act as a modulator of alternative splicing. We describe further evidence for the role of Jmjd6 in the regulation of pre-mRNA processing including interactions of Jmjd6 with multiple arginine–serine-rich (RS)-domains of SR- and SR-related proteins including U2AF65, Luc7-like protein 3 (Luc7L3), SRSF11 and Acinus S′, but not with the bona fide RS-domain of SRSF1. The identified Jmjd6 target proteins are involved in different mRNA processing steps and play roles in exon dependent alternative splicing and exon definition. Moreover, we show that Jmjd6 modifies splicing of a constitutive splice reporter, binds RNA derived from the reporter plasmid and punctually co-localises with nascent RNA. We propose that Jmjd6 exerts its splice modulatory function by interacting with specific SR-related proteins during splicing in a RNA dependent manner.
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The SR proteins constitute a family of splicing factors, highly conserved in metazoans, that contain one or two amino-terminal RNA-binding domains (RBDs) and a region enriched in arginine/serine repeats (RS domain) at the carboxyl terminus. Previous studies have shown that SR proteins possess distinct RNA-binding specificities that likely contribute to their unique functions, but it is unclear whether RS domains have specific roles in vivo. Here, we used a genetic system developed in the chicken B cell line DT40 to address this question. Expression of chimeric proteins generated by fusion of the RS domains of heterologous SR proteins, or a human TRA-2 protein, with the RBDs of ASF/SF2 allowed cell growth following genetic inactivation of endogenous ASF/SF2, indicating that RS domains are interchangeable for all functions required to maintain cell viability. However, a chimera containing the RS domain from a related splicing factor, U2AF 65 , could not rescue viability and was inactive in in vitro splicing assays, suggesting that this domain performs a distinct function. We also used the DT40 system to show that depletion of ASF/SF2 affects splicing of specific transcripts in vivo. Although splicing of several simple constitutive introns was not significantly affected, the alternative splicing patterns of two model pre-mRNAs switched in a manner consistent with predictions from previous studies. Unexpectedly, ASF/SF2 depletion resulted in a substantial increase in splicing of an HIV-1 tat pre-mRNA substrate, indicating that ASF/SF2 can repress tat splicing in vivo. These results provide the first demonstration that an SR protein can influence splicing of specific pre-mRNAs in vivo.
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Exonic splicing enhancer
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Heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein particle
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Q Sun, A Mayeda, R K Hampson, A R Krainer, and F M Rottman Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4960.
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Alternative splicing is an important mechanism for the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes during development, cell differentiation or stress response. Alterations in the splicing profiles of genes under high temperatures that cause heat stress (HS) can impact the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and thermotolerance. Consequently, information on factors involved in HS-sensitive alternative splicing is required to formulate the principles of HS response. Serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins have a central role in alternative splicing. We aimed for the identification and characterization of SR-coding genes in tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ), a plant extensively used in HS studies. We identified 17 canonical SR and two SR-like genes. Several SR-coding genes show differential expression and altered splicing profiles in different organs as well as in response to HS. The transcriptional induction of five SR and one SR-like genes is partially dependent on the master regulator of HS response, HS transcription factor HsfA1a. Cis -elements in the promoters of these SR genes were predicted, which can be putatively recognized by HS-induced transcription factors. Further, transiently expressed SRs show reduced or steady-state protein levels in response to HS. Thus, the levels of SRs under HS are regulated by changes in transcription, alternative splicing and protein stability. We propose that the accumulation or reduction of SRs under HS can impact temperature-sensitive alternative splicing.
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Alternative splicing facilitates the splicing of precursor RNA into different isoforms.Alternatively spliced transcripts often exhibit antagonistic functions or differential temporal or spatial expression patterns.There is increasing evidence that alternative splicing, especially by the serine-arginine rich (SR) protein family, leads to abnormal expression patterns and is closely related to the development of cancer.SRSF3, also known as SRp20, is a splicing factor.Through alternative splicing, it plays important roles in regulating various biological functions, such as cell cycle, cell proliferation, migration and invasion, under pathological and physiological conditions.Deregulation of SRSF3 is an essential feature of cancers.SRSF3 is also considered a candidate therapeutic target.Therefore, the involvement of abnormal splicing in tumorigenesis and the regulation of splicing factors deserve further analysis and discussion.Here, we summarize the function of SRSF3-regulated alternative transcripts in cancer cell biology at different stages of tumor development and the regulation of SRSF3 in tumorigenesis.
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Serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins play important roles in constitutive and alternative splicing and other aspects of mRNA metabolism. We have previously isolated a unique plant SR protein (SR45) with atypical domain organization. However, the biological and molecular functions of this novel SR protein are not known. Here, we report biological and molecular functions of this protein. Using an in vitro splicing complementation assay, we showed that SR45 functions as an essential splicing factor. Furthermore, the alternative splicing pattern of transcripts of several other SR genes was altered in a mutant, sr45-1, suggesting that the observed phenotypic abnormalities in sr45-1 are likely due to altered levels of SR protein isoforms, which in turn modulate splicing of other pre-mRNAs. sr45-1 exhibited developmental abnormalities, including delayed flowering, narrow leaves and altered number of petals and stamens. The late flowering phenotype was observed under both long days and short days and was rescued by vernalization. FLC, a key flowering repressor, is up-regulated in sr45-1 demonstrating that SR45 influences the autonomous flowering pathway. Changes in the alternative splicing of SR genes and the phenotypic defects in the mutant were rescued by SR45 cDNA, further confirming that the observed defects in the mutant are due to the lack of SR45. These results indicate that SR45 is a novel plant-specific splicing factor that plays a crucial role in regulating developmental processes.
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