The SR splicing factors ASF/SF2 and SC35 have antagonistic effects on intronic enhancer-dependent splicing of the beta-tropomyosin alternative exon 6A.

Exons 6A and 6B of the chicken beta-tropomyosin gene are mutually exclusive and selected in a tissue-specific manner. Exon 6A is present in non-muscle and smooth muscle cells, while exon 6B is present in skeletal muscle cells. In this study we have investigated the mechanism underlying exon 6A recognition in non-muscle cells. Previous reports have identified a pyrimidine-rich intronic enhancer sequence (S4) downstream of exon 6A as essential for exon 6A 5'-splice site recognition. We show here that preincubation of HeLa cell extracts with an excess of RNA containing this sequence specifically inhibits exon 6A recognition by the splicing machinery. Splicing inhibition by an excess of this RNA can be rescued by addition of the SR protein ASF/SF2, but not by the SR proteins SC35 or 9G8. ASF/SF2 stimulates exon 6A splicing through specific interaction with the enhancer sequence. Surprisingly, SC35 behaves as an inhibitor of exon 6A splicing, since addition to HeLa nuclear extracts of increasing amounts of the SC35 protein completely abolish the stimulatory effect of ASF/SF2 on exon 6A splicing. We conclude that exon 6A recognition in vitro depends on the ratio of the ASF/SF2 to SC35 SR proteins. Taken together our results suggest that variations in the level or activity of these proteins could contribute to the tissue-specific choice of beta-tropomyosin exon 6A. In support of this we show that SR proteins isolated from skeletal muscle tissues are less efficient for exon 6A stimulation than SR proteins isolated from HeLa cells.     

SR proteins and hnRNP H regulate the splicing of the HIV-1 tev-specific exon 6D

A naturally arising point mutation in the env gene of HIV-1 activates the aberrant inclusion of the cryptic exon 6D into most viral messages, leading to inefficient viral replication. We set out to understand how a single nucleotide substitution could cause such a dramatic change in splicing. We have determined that the exon 6D mutation promotes binding of the SR protein SC35 to the exon. Mutant exon 6D sequences function as a splicing enhancer when inserted into an enhancer-dependent splicing construct. hnRNP H family proteins bind to the enhancer as well; their binding is dependent on the sequence GGGA located just downstream of the point mutation and depletion-- reconstitution studies show that hnRNP H is essential for enhancer activity. A polypurine sequence located further downstream in exon 6D binds SR proteins but acts as an exonic splicing silencer. hnRNP H is required for interaction of U1 snRNP with the enhancer, independent of the point mutation. We propose that SC35 binding to the point mutation region may convert the hnRNP H-U1 snRNP complex into a splicing enhancer.     

ASF/SF2 and SC35 regulate the glutamate receptor subunit 2 alternative flip/flop splicing

The properties of the glutamate receptor subunits 1-4 (GluR1-4) are influenced by the alternative splicing of two homologous and mutually exclusive exons flip and flop. The flip form is most abundant during early development, while the flop form is dominant in adults. From transfections with a GluR2 mini-gene we show that flip is the preferred splice form in all tested cell lines, but coexpression of the SR-proteins ASF/SF2 and SC35 increases the flop to flip splice ratio. The increased flop incorporation depends on ASF/SF2- and SC35-dependent enhancer elements located in the flop exon, which stimulate the splicing between the flop exon and the preceding exon 13.     

The human splicing factors ASF/SF2 and SC35 possess distinct, functionally significant RNA binding specificities.

ASF/SF2 and SC35 belong to a highly conserved family of nuclear proteins that are both essential for splicing of pre-mRNA in vitro and are able to influence selection of alternative splice sites. An important question is whether these proteins display distinct RNA binding specificities and, if so, whether this influences their functional interactions with pre-mRNA. To address these issues, we first performed selection/amplification from pools of random RNA sequences (SELEX) with portions of the two proteins comprising the RNA binding domains (RBDs). Although both molecules selected mainly purine-rich sequences, comparison of individual sequences indicated that the motifs recognized are different. Binding assays performed with the full-length proteins confirmed that ASF/SF2 and SC35 indeed have distinct specificities, and at the same time provided evidence that the highly charged arginine-serine region of each protein is not a major determinant of specificity. In the case of ASF/SF2, evidence is presented that binding specificity involves cooperation between the protein's two RBDs. Finally, we demonstrate that an element containing three copies of a high-affinity ASF/SF2 binding site constitutes a powerful splicing enhancer. In contrast, a similar element consisting of three SC35 sites was inactive. The ASF/SF2 enhancer can be activated specifically in splicing-deficient S100 extracts by recombinant ASF/SF2 in conjunction with one or more additional protein factors. These and other results suggest a central role for ASF/SF2 in the function of purine-rich splicing enhancers.     

Position-dependent effects of hnRNP A1/A2 in SMN1/2 exon7 splicing

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 and A2 (hnRNP A1/2) is a ubiquitously expressed RNA binding protein known to bind intronic or exonic splicing silencer. Binding of hnRNP A1/2 to survival of motor neuron gene (SMN1/2) exon 7 and flanking sequences strongly inhibits the inclusion of exon 7, which causes spinal muscular atrophy, a common genetic disorder. However, the role of hnRNP A1/2 on the side away from exon 7 is unclear. Here using antisense oligonucleotides, we fished an intronic splicing enhancer (ISE) near the 3′-splice site (SS) of intron 7 of SMN1/2. Mutagenesis identified the efficient motif of the ISE as “UAGUAGG”, coupled with RNA pull down and protein overexpression, we proved that hnRNP A1/2 binding to the ISE promotes the inclusion of SMN1/2 exon 7. Using MS2-tethering array and “UAGGGU” motif walking, we further uncovered that effects of hnRNP A1/2 on SMN1/2 exon 7 splicing are position-dependent: exon 7 inclusion is inhibited when hnRNP A1/2 binds proximal to the 5′SS of intron 7, promoted when its binds proximal to the 3′SS. These data provide new insights into the splicing regulatory mechanism of SMN1/2.     

Roles for SR proteins and hnRNP A1 in the regulation of c-src exon N1

The splicing of the c-src exon N1 is controlled by an intricate combination of positive and negative RNA elements. Most previous work on these sequences focused on intronic elements found upstream and downstream of exon N1. However, it was demonstrated that the 5' half of the N1 exon itself acts as a splicing enhancer in vivo. Here we examine the function of this regulatory element in vitro. We show that a mutation in this sequence decreases splicing of the N1 exon in vitro. Proteins binding to this element were identified as hnRNP A1, hnRNP H, hnRNP F, and SF2/ASF by site-specific cross-linking and immunoprecipitation. The binding of these proteins to the RNA was eliminated by a mutation in the exonic element. The activities of hnRNP A1 and SF2/ASF on N1 splicing were examined by adding purified protein to in vitro splicing reactions. SF2/ASF and another SR protein, SC35, are both able to stimulate splicing of c-src pre-mRNA. However, splicing activation by SF2/ASF is dependent on the N1 exon enhancer element whereas activation by SC35 is not. In contrast to SF2/ASF and in agreement with other systems, hnRNP A1 repressed c-src splicing in vitro. The negative activity of hnRNP A1 on splicing was compared with that of PTB, a protein previously demonstrated to repress splicing in this system. Both proteins repress exon N1 splicing, and both counteract the enhancing activity of the SR proteins. Removal of the PTB binding sites upstream of N1 prevents PTB-mediated repression but does not affect A1-mediated repression. Thus, hnRNP A1 and PTB use different mechanisms to repress c-src splicing. Our results link the activity of these well-known exonic splicing regulators, SF2/ASF and hnRNP A1, to the splicing of an exon primarily controlled by intronic factors.     

Modulation of exon skipping and inclusion by heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 and pre-mRNA splicing factor SF2/ASF.

The essential splicing factor SF2/ASF and the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP A1) modulate alternative splicing in vitro of pre-mRNAs that contain 5' splice sites of comparable strengths competing for a common 3' splice site. Using natural and model pre-mRNAs, we have examined whether the ratio of SF2/ASF to hnRNP A1 also regulates other modes of alternative splicing in vitro. We found that an excess of SF2/ASF effectively prevents inappropriate exon skipping and also influences the selection of mutually exclusive tissue-specific exons in natural beta-tropomyosin pre-mRNA. In contrast, an excess of hnRNP A1 does not cause inappropriate exon skipping in natural constitutively or alternatively spliced pre-mRNAs. Although hnRNP A1 can promote alternative exon skipping, this effect is not universal and is dependent, e.g., on the size of the internal alternative exon and on the strength of the polypyrimidine tract in the preceding intron. With appropriate alternative exons, an excess of SF2/ASF promotes exon inclusion, whereas an excess of hnRNP A1 causes exon skipping. We propose that in some cases the ratio of SF2/ASF to hnRNP A1 may play a role in regulating alternative splicing by exon inclusion or skipping through the antagonistic effects of these proteins on alternative splice site selection.     

Regiospecific Phosphorylation Control of the SR Protein ASF/SF2 by SRPK1

SR proteins (splicing factors containing arginine-serine repeats) are essential factors that control the splicing of precursor mRNA by regulating multiple steps in spliceosome development. The prototypical SR protein ASF/SF2 (human alternative splicing factor) contains two N-terminal RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) (RRM1 and RRM2) and a 50-residue C-terminal RS (arginine-serine-rich) domain that can be phosphorylated at numerous serines by the protein kinase SR-specific protein kinase (SRPK) 1. The RS domain [C-terminal domain that is rich in arginine-serine repeats (residues 198-248)] is further divided into N-terminal [RS1: N-terminal portion of the RS domain (residues 198-227)] and C-terminal [RS2: C-terminal portion of the RS domain (residues 228-248)] segments whose modification guides the nuclear localization of ASF/SF2. While previous studies revealed that SRPK1 phosphorylates RS1, regiospecific and temporal-specific control within the largely redundant RS domain is not well understood. To address this issue, we performed engineered footprinting and single-turnover experiments to determine where and how SRPK1 initiates phosphorylation within the RS domain. The data show that local sequence elements in the RS domain control the strong kinetic preference for RS1 phosphorylation. SRPK1 initiates phosphorylation in a small region of serines (initiation box) in the middle of the RS domain at the C-terminal end of RS1 and then proceeds in an N-terminal direction. This initiation process requires both a viable docking groove in the large lobe of SRPK1 and one RRM (RRM2) on the N-terminal flank of the RS domain. Thus, while local RS/SR content steers regional preferences in the RS domain, distal contacts with SRPK1 guide initiation and directional phosphorylation within these regions.     

Regulation of alternative pre-mRNA splicing by hnRNP A1 and splicing factor SF2.

When messenger RNA precursors (pre-mRNAs) containing alternative 5' splice sites are spliced in vitro, the relative concentrations of the heterogeneous ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A1 and the essential splicing factor SF2 precisely determine which 5' splice site is selected. In general, an excess of hnRNP A1 favors distal 5' splice sites, whereas an excess of SF2 results in utilization of proximal 5' splice sites. The regulation of these antagonistic activities may play an important role in the tissue-specific and developmental control of gene expression by alternative splicing.     

Selection of alternative 5' splice sites: role of U1 snRNP and models for the antagonistic effects of SF2/ASF and hnRNP A1

The first component known to recognize and discriminate among potential 5' splice sites (5'SSs) in pre-mRNA is the U1 snRNP. However, the relative levels of U1 snRNP binding to alternative 5'SSs do not necessarily determine the splicing outcome. Strikingly, SF2/ASF, one of the essential SR protein-splicing factors, causes a dose-dependent shift in splicing to a downstream (intron-proximal) site, and yet it increases U1 snRNP binding at upstream and downstream sites simultaneously. We show here that hnRNP A1, which shifts splicing towards an upstream 5'SS, causes reduced U1 snRNP binding at both sites. Nonetheless, the importance of U1 snRNP binding is shown by proportionality between the level of U1 snRNP binding to the downstream site and its use in splicing. With purified components, hnRNP A1 reduces U1 snRNP binding to 5'SSs by binding cooperatively and indiscriminately to the pre-mRNA. Mutations in hnRNP A1 and SF2/ASF show that the opposite effects of the proteins on 5'SS choice are correlated with their effects on U1 snRNP binding. Cross-linking experiments show that SF2/ASF and hnRNP A1 compete to bind pre-mRNA, and we conclude that this competition is the basis of their functional antagonism; SF2/ASF enhances U1 snRNP binding at all 5'SSs, the rise in simultaneous occupancy causing a shift in splicing towards the downstream site, whereas hnRNP A1 interferes with U1 snRNP binding such that 5'SS occupancy is lower and the affinities of U1 snRNP for the individual sites determine the site of splicing.     

Ordered multi-site phosphorylation of the splicing factor ASF/SF2 by SRPK1

The human alternative splicing factor ASF/SF2, an SR (serine-arginine-rich) protein involved in mRNA splicing control, is activated by the multisite phosphorylation of its C-terminal RS domain, a segment containing numerous arginine-serine dipeptide repeats. The protein kinase responsible for this modification, SR-specific protein kinase 1 (SRPK1), catalyzes the selective phosphorylation of approximately a dozen serines in only the N-terminal portion of the RS domain (RS1). To gain insights into the nature of selective phosphate incorporation in ASF/SF2, region-specific phosphorylation in the RS domain was monitored as a function of reaction progress. Arg-to-Lys mutations were made at several positions to produce unique protease cleavage sites that separate the RS domain into identifiable N- and C-terminal phosphopeptides upon treatment with lysyl endoproteinase. These studies reveal that SRPK1 docks near the C-terminus of the RS1 segment and then moves in an N-terminal direction along the RS domain. Multiple quadruple Ser-to-Ala and deletion mutations did not disrupt the phosphorylation of other sites regardless of position, suggesting that the active site of SRPK1 docks in a flexible manner at the center of the RS domain. Taken together, these data suggest that SRPK1 uses a unique ‘grab-and-pull’ mechanism to control the regiospecific phosphorylation of its protein substrate.     

Mechanism of Dephosphorylation of the SR Protein ASF/SF2 by Protein Phosphatase 1

SR proteins are essential splicing factors whose function is controlled by multi-site phosphorylation of a C-terminal domain rich in arginine-serine repeats (RS domain). The protein kinase SRPK1 has been shown to polyphosphorylate the N-terminal portion of the RS domain (RS1) of the SR protein ASF/SF2, a modification that promotes nuclear entry of this splicing factor and engagement in splicing function. Later, dephosphorylation is required for maturation of the spliceosome and other RNA processing steps. While phosphates are attached to RS1 in a sequential manner by SRPK1, little is known about how they are removed. To investigate factors that control dephosphorylation, we monitored region-specific mapping of phosphorylation sites in ASF/SF2 as a function of the protein phosphatase PP1. We showed that 10 phosphates added to the RS1 segment by SRPK1 are removed in a preferred N-to-C manner, directly opposing the C-to-N phosphorylation by SRPK1. Two N-terminal RNA recognition motifs in ASF/SF2 control access to the RS domain and guide the directional mechanism. Binding of RNA to the RNA recognition motifs protects against dephosphorylation, suggesting that engagement of the SR protein with exonic splicing enhancers can regulate phosphoryl content in the RS domain. In addition to regulation by N-terminal domains, phosphorylation of the C-terminal portion of the RS domain (RS2) by the nuclear protein kinase Clk/Sty inhibits RS1 dephosphorylation and disrupts the directional mechanism. The data indicate that both RNA-protein interactions and phosphorylation in flanking sequences induce conformations of ASF/SF2 that increase the lifetime of phosphates in the RS domain.     

Regulation of the alternative splicing of tau exon 10 by SC35 and Dyrk1A

Abnormal alternative splicing of tau exon 10 results in imbalance of 3R-tau and 4R-tau expression, which is sufficient to cause neurofibrillary degeneration. Splicing factor SC35, a member of the superfamily of the serine/arginine-rich (SR) proteins, promotes tau exon 10 inclusion. The molecular mechanism by which SC35 participates in tau exon 10 splicing remains elusive. In the present study, we found that tau pre-mRNA was coprecipitated by SC35 tagged with HA. Mutation of the SC35-like exonic splicing enhancer located at exon 10 of tau affected both the binding of SC35 to tau pre-mRNA and promotion of tau exon 10 inclusion, suggesting that SC35 acts on the SC35-like exonic splicing enhancer to promote tau exon 10 inclusion. Dyrk1A (dual-specificity tyrosine-phosphorylated and regulated kinase 1A) phosphorylated SC35 in vitro and interacted with it in cultured cells. Overexpression of Dyrk1A suppressed SC35's ability to promote tau exon 10 inclusion. Downregulation of Dyrk1A promoted 4R-tau expression. Therefore, upregulation of Dyrk1A in Down syndrome brain or Alzheimer's brain may cause dysregulation of tau exon 10 splicing through SC35, and probably together with other splicing factors, leading to the imbalance in 3R-tau and 4R-tau expression, which may initiate or accelerate tau pathology and cause neurofibrillary degeneration in the diseases.