title: The candidate splicing factor Sfswap regulates growth and patterning of inner ear sensory organs.
abstract: The Notch signaling pathway is thought to regulate multiple stages of inner ear development. Mutations in the Notch signaling pathway cause disruptions in the number and arrangement of hair cells and supporting cells in sensory regions of the ear. In this study we identify an insertional mutation in the mouse Sfswap gene, a putative splicing factor, that results in mice with vestibular and cochlear defects that are consistent with disrupted Notch signaling. Homozygous Sfswap mutants display hyperactivity and circling behavior consistent with vestibular defects, and significantly impaired hearing. The cochlea of newborn Sfswap mutant mice shows a significant reduction in outer hair cells and supporting cells and ectopic inner hair cells. This phenotype most closely resembles that seen in hypomorphic alleles of the Notch ligand Jagged1 (Jag1). We show that Jag1; Sfswap compound mutants have inner ear defects that are more severe than expected from simple additive effects of the single mutants, indicating a genetic interaction between Sfswap and Jag1. In addition, expression of genes involved in Notch signaling in the inner ear are reduced in Sfswap mutants. There is increased interest in how splicing affects inner ear development and function. Our work is one of the first studies to suggest that a putative splicing factor has specific effects on Notch signaling pathway members and inner ear development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Yalda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moayedi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Martin L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Basch
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Natasha L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Pacheco
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America ; Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America ; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, United States.
authors.forename: Simon S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, United States.
authors.forename: Rosalie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Wilbur
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ningna
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America ; Department of Otolaryngology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, United States.
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Oghalai
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America ; Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America ; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America ; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Overbeek
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America ; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America ; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mardon
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America ; Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America ; Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, United States of America.
authors.forename: Andrew K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Groves
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003051:Cochlea / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006199:Hair Cells, Auditory, Inner / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000072100:Jagged-1 Protein; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D000072260:RNA Splicing Factors; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000235:genetics*; D000072099:Serrate-Jagged Proteins; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C000606273:JAG1 protein, human; C000606274:Jag1 protein, mouse; D000072100:Jagged-1 Protein; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000072260:RNA Splicing Factors; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D000072099:Serrate-Jagged Proteins; C484206:Sfswap protein, mouse