Unraveling the mechanism of recognition of the 3' splice site of the adenovirus major late promoter intron by the alternative splicing factor PUF60.

Publication Type:

Journal Article

Source:

PLoS One, Volume 15, Issue 11, p.e0242725 (2020)

Abstract:

<p>Pre-mRNA splicing is critical for achieving required amounts of a transcript at a given time and for regulating production of encoded protein. A given pre-mRNA may be spliced in many ways, or not at all, giving rise to multiple gene products. Numerous splicing factors are recruited to pre-mRNA splice sites to ensure proper splicing. One such factor, the 60 kDa poly(U)-binding splicing factor (PUF60), is recruited to sites that are not always spliced, but rather function as alternative splice sites. In this study, we characterized the interaction of PUF60 with a splice site from the adenovirus major late promoter (the AdML 3&#39; splice site, AdML3&#39;). We found that the PUF60-AdML3&#39; dissociation constants are in the micromolar range, with the binding affinity predominantly provided by PUF60&#39;s two central RNA recognition motifs (RRMs). A 1.95 Å crystal structure of the two PUF60 RRMs in complex with AdML3&#39; revealed a dimeric organization placing two stretches of nucleic acid tracts in opposing directionalities, which can cause looping of nucleic acid and explain how PUF60 affects pre-mRNA geometry to effect splicing. Solution characterization of this complex by light-scattering and UV/Vis spectroscopy suggested a potential 2:1 (PUF602:AdML3&#39;) stoichiometry, consistent with the crystal structure. This work defines the sequence specificity of the alternative splicing factor PUF60 at the pre-mRNA 3&#39; splice site. Our observations suggest that control of pre-mRNA directionality is important in the early stage of spliceosome assembly, and advance our understanding of the molecular mechanism by which alternative and constitutive splicing factors differentiate among 3&#39; splice sites.</p>

PDB: 
5KVY, 5KW1, 5KW6 and 5KWQ
Detector: 
Q315
Beamline: 
24-ID-C