title: The Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) gene (+KTS isoform) functions with a CTE to enhance translation from an unspliced RNA with a retained intron.
abstract: The Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) gene plays an important role in mammalian urogenital development, and dysregulation of this gene is observed in many human cancers. Alternative splicing of WT1 RNA leads to the expression of two major protein isoforms, WT1(+KTS) and WT1(-KTS). Whereas WT1(-KTS) acts as a transcriptional regulator, no clear function has been ascribed to WT1(+KTS), despite the fact that this protein is crucial for normal development. Here we show that WT1(+KTS) functions to enhance expression from RNA possessing a retained intron and containing either a cellular or viral constitutive transport element (CTE). WT1(+KTS) expression increases the levels of unspliced RNA containing a CTE and specifically promotes the association of this RNA with polyribosomes. These studies provide further support for links between different steps in RNA metabolism and for the existence of post-transcriptional operons.
authors.affiliation: Myles H. Thaler Center for AIDS and Human Retrovirus Research and Department of Microbiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.
authors.forename: Yeou-cherng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Bor
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Swartz
authors.forename: Avril
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rekosh
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ladomery
authors.forename: Marie-Louise
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hammarskjöld
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D003593:Cytoplasm; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D011132:Polyribosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012326:RNA Splicing; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D025721:WT1 Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012322:RNA Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012367:RNA, Viral; D014764:Viral Proteins; D025721:WT1 Proteins