RRM domain of Arabidopsis splicing factor SF1 is important for pre-mRNA splicing of a specific set of genes

Lee, Keh Chien; Jang, Yun Hee; Kim, SoonKap; Park, Hyo-Young; Thu, May Phyo; Lee, Jeong Hwan; Kim, Jeong-Kook

RRM domain of Arabidopsis splicing factor SF1 is important for pre-mRNA splicing of a specific set of genes

Type

Article

Authors

Lee, Keh Chien
Jang, Yun Hee
Kim, SoonKap
Park, Hyo-Young
Thu, May Phyo
Lee, Jeong Hwan
Kim, Jeong-Kook

KAUST Department

Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE) Division
Center for Desert Agriculture

Online Publication Date

2017-04-11

Print Publication Date

2017-07

Date

2017-04-11

Abstract

The RNA recognition motif of Arabidopsis splicing factor SF1 affects the alternative splicing of FLOWERING LOCUS M pre-mRNA and a heat shock transcription factor HsfA2 pre-mRNA. Splicing factor 1 (SF1) plays a crucial role in 3' splice site recognition by binding directly to the intron branch point. Although plant SF1 proteins possess an RNA recognition motif (RRM) domain that is absent in its fungal and metazoan counterparts, the role of the RRM domain in SF1 function has not been characterized. Here, we show that the RRM domain differentially affects the full function of the Arabidopsis thaliana AtSF1 protein under different experimental conditions. For example, the deletion of RRM domain influences AtSF1-mediated control of flowering time, but not the abscisic acid sensitivity response during seed germination. The alternative splicing of FLOWERING LOCUS M (FLM) pre-mRNA is involved in flowering time control. We found that the RRM domain of AtSF1 protein alters the production of alternatively spliced FLM-β transcripts. We also found that the RRM domain affects the alternative splicing of a heat shock transcription factor HsfA2 pre-mRNA, thereby mediating the heat stress response. Taken together, our results suggest the importance of RRM domain for AtSF1-mediated alternative splicing of a subset of genes involved in the regulation of flowering and adaptation to heat stress.

Citation

Lee KC, Jang YH, Kim S-K, Park H-Y, Thu MP, et al. (2017) RRM domain of Arabidopsis splicing factor SF1 is important for pre-mRNA splicing of a specific set of genes. Plant Cell Reports. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00299-017-2140-1.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea funded by the Ministry of Education (2014R1A1A2055796 to J.-K. Kim) and a Korea University Grant (to J.-K. Kim).