Genetic depletion reveals an essential role for an SR protein splicing factor in vertebrate cells.
SR proteins are essential for the splicing of messenger RNA precursors in vitro, where they also alter splice site selection in a concentration-dependent manner. Although experiments involving overexpression or dominant mutations have confirmed that these proteins can influence RNA processing decisions in vivo, similar results with loss-of-function mutations have been lacking. Now, a system for genetic depletion of the chicken B cell line DT40 has revealed that the SR protein ASF/SF2 (alternative splicing factor/splicing factor 2) is essential for viability in these cells(1). This study opens the way for a complete functional dissection of this protein, and other SR proteins, in vivo.
Mount
S M
SM
Department of Microbiology, University of Maryland, College Park, USA. sm193@umail.umd.edu
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D012326:RNA Splicing / Q000502:physiology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D000068103:Serine-Arginine Splicing Factors; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000235:genetics*
D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D000068103:Serine-Arginine Splicing Factors