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Mol Cell Biol, February 1998, p. 676-684, Vol. 18, No. 2
Department of Pediatrics and Department of
Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington University School of
Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
Received 1 July 1997/Returned for modification 19 August
1997/Accepted 6 November 1997
Previous studies have shown that protein-protein interactions among
splicing factors may play an important role in pre-mRNA splicing. We
report here identification and functional characterization of a new
splicing factor, Sip1 (SC35-interacting protein 1). Sip1 was initially
identified by virtue of its interaction with SC35, a splicing factor of
the SR family. Sip1 interacts with not only several SR proteins but
also with U1-70K and U2AF65, proteins associated with 5' and 3' splice
sites, respectively. The predicted Sip1 sequence contains an
arginine-serine-rich (RS) domain but does not have any known
RNA-binding motifs, indicating that it is not a member of the SR
family. Sip1 also contains a region with weak sequence similarity to
the Drosophila splicing regulator suppressor of white
apricot (SWAP). An essential role for Sip1 in pre-mRNA splicing was
suggested by the observation that anti-Sip1 antibodies depleted
splicing activity from HeLa nuclear extract. Purified recombinant Sip1
protein, but not other RS domain-containing proteins such as SC35,
ASF/SF2, and U2AF65, restored the splicing activity of the
Sip1-immunodepleted extract. Addition of U2AF65 protein further
enhanced the splicing reconstitution by the Sip1 protein. Deficiency in
the formation of both A and B splicing complexes in the Sip1-depleted
nuclear extract indicates an important role of Sip1 in spliceosome
assembly. Together, these results demonstrate that Sip1 is a novel RS
domain-containing protein required for pre-mRNA splicing and that the
functional role of Sip1 in splicing is distinct from those of known RS
domain-containing splicing factors.
0270-7306/98/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1998, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Sip1, a Novel RS Domain-Containing Protein
Essential for Pre-mRNA Splicing
*
Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of
Pediatrics and Department of Molecular Biology and Pharmacology,
Washington University School of Medicine, One Children's Place, St.
Louis, MO 63110. Phone: (314) 454-2081. Fax: (314) 454-2075. E-mail: WU_J{at}A1.kids.wustl.edu.
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