title: The RNA binding protein RNPS1 alleviates ASF/SF2 depletion-induced genomic instability.
abstract: Formation of transcription-induced R-loops poses a critical threat to genomic integrity throughout evolution. We have recently shown that the SR protein ASF/SF2 prevents R-loop formation in vertebrates by cotranscriptionally binding to nascent mRNA precursors to prevent their reassociation with template DNA. Here, we identify another RNA binding protein, RNPS1, that when overexpressed strongly suppresses the high molecular weight (HMW) DNA fragmentation, hypermutation, and G2 cell cycle arrest phenotypes of ASF/SF2-depleted cells. Furthermore, ablation of RNPS1 by RNA interference in HeLa cells leads to accumulation of HMW DNA fragments. As ASF/SF2 depletion does not influence RNPS1 expression, and RNPS1 cannot compensate for ASF/SF2 function in splicing, our data suggest that RNPS1 is able to function together with ASF/SF2 to form RNP complexes on nascent transcripts, and thereby prevent formation of transcriptional R-loops.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA.
authors.forename: Xialu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tianhui
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Manley
mesh_terms: D016923:Cell Death; D002460:Cell Line; D004249:DNA Damage; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D016195:G2 Phase; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D042822:Genomic Instability; D006801:Humans; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000068103:Serine-Arginine Splicing Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C084538:RNPS1 protein, human; D012261:Ribonucleoproteins; D000068103:Serine-Arginine Splicing Factors