Influences of separation and adjacent sequences on the use of alternative 5' splice sites

Impact on splicing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae of random 50-base sequences inserted into an intron

Intron splicing is a key regulatory step in gene expression in eukaryotes. Three sequence elements required for splicing-5' and 3' splice sites and a branchpoint-are especially well-characterized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but our understanding of additional intron features that impact splicing in this organism is incomplete, due largely to its small number of introns. To overcome this limitation, we constructed a library in S. cerevisiae of random 50-nt (N50) elements individually inserted into the intron of a reporter gene and quantified canonical splicing and the use of cryptic splice sites by sequencing analysis. More than 70% of approximately 140,000 N50 elements reduced splicing by at least 20%. N50 features, including higher GC content, presence of GU repeats, and stronger predicted secondary structure of its pre-mRNA, correlated with reduced splicing efficiency. A likely basis for the reduced splicing of such a large proportion of variants is the formation of RNA structures that pair N50 bases-such as the GU repeats-with other bases specifically within the reporter pre-mRNA analyzed. However, multiple models were unable to explain more than a small fraction of the variance in splicing efficiency across the library, suggesting that complex nonlinear interactions in RNA structures are not accurately captured by RNA structure prediction methods. Our results imply that the specific context of a pre-mRNA may determine the bases allowable in an intron to prevent secondary structures that reduce splicing. This large data set can serve as a resource for further exploration of splicing mechanisms.

Interplay of primary sequence, position and secondary RNA structure determines alternative splicing of LMNA in a pre-mature aging syndrome

Aberrant splicing in exon 11 of the LMNA gene causes the premature aging disorder Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome. A de novo C1824T mutation activates an internal alternative 5' splice site, resulting in formation of the disease-causing progerin protein. The underlying mechanism for this 5' splice site selection is unknown. Here, we have applied a combination of targeted mutational analysis in a cell-based system and structural mapping by SHAPE-MaP to comprehensively probe the contributions of primary sequence, secondary RNA structure and linear splice site position in determining in vivo mechanisms of splice site choice in LMNA. While splice site choice is in part defined by sequence complementarity to U1 snRNA, we identify RNA secondary structural elements near the alternative 5' splice sites and show that splice site choice is significantly influenced by the structural context of the available splice sites. Furthermore, relative positioning of the competing sites within the primary sequence of the pre-mRNA is a predictor of 5' splice site usage, with the distal position favored over the proximal, regardless of sequence composition. Together, these results demonstrate that 5' splice site selection in LMNA is determined by an intricate interplay among RNA sequence, secondary structure and splice site position.

A novel intra-U1 snRNP cross-regulation mechanism: alternative splicing switch links U1C and U1-70K expression

The U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP)-specific U1C protein participates in 5′ splice site recognition and regulation of pre-mRNA splicing. Based on an RNA-Seq analysis in HeLa cells after U1C knockdown, we found a conserved, intra-U1 snRNP cross-regulation that links U1C and U1-70K expression through alternative splicing and U1 snRNP assembly. To investigate the underlying regulatory mechanism, we combined mutational minigene analysis, in vivo splice-site blocking by antisense morpholinos, and in vitro binding experiments. Alternative splicing of U1-70K pre-mRNA creates the normal (exons 7–8) and a non-productive mRNA isoform, whose balance is determined by U1C protein levels. The non-productive isoform is generated through a U1C-dependent alternative 3′ splice site, which requires an adjacent cluster of regulatory 5′ splice sites and binding of intact U1 snRNPs. As a result of nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) of the non-productive isoform, U1-70K mRNA and protein levels are down-regulated, and U1C incorporation into the U1 snRNP is impaired. U1-70K/U1C-deficient particles are assembled, shifting the alternative splicing balance back towards productive U1-70K splicing, and restoring assembly of intact U1 snRNPs. Taken together, we established a novel feedback regulation that controls U1-70K/U1C homeostasis and ensures correct U1 snRNP assembly and function.

The accurate removal of intervening sequences (introns) from precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs) represents an essential step in the expression of most eukaryotic protein-coding genes. Alternative splicing can create from a single primary transcript various mature mRNAs with diverse, sometimes even antagonistic, biological functions. Many human diseases are based on alternative-splicing defects, and most interestingly, certain defects are caused by mutations in general splicing factors that participate in each splicing event. To address the question of how a general splicing factor can regulate alternative splicing events, here we investigated the regulatory role of the U1C protein, a specific component of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) and important in initial 5′ splice site recognition. Our RNA-Seq analysis demonstrated that U1C affects more than 300 cases of alternative splicing in the human system. One U1C target, U1-70K, appeared to be particularly interesting, because both protein products are components of the U1 snRNP and functionally depend on each other. Analyzing the mechanistic basis of this intra-U1 snRNP cross-regulation, we discovered a U1C-dependent alternative splicing switch in the U1-70K pre-mRNA that regulates U1-70K expression. In sum, this feedback loop controls and links U1C and U1-70K homeostasis to guarantee correct U1 snRNP assembly and function.

Intron retention in the alternatively spliced region of RON results from weak 3' splice site recognition

The RON gene encodes a tyrosine kinase receptor for macrophage-stimulating protein. A constitutively active isoform that arises by skipping of exon 11 is expressed in carcinomas and contributes to an invasive phenotype. However, a high proportion of the mRNA expressed from the endogenous gene, or from transfected minigenes, appears to retain introns 10 and 11. It is not known whether this represents specific repression or the presence of weak splicing signals. We have used chimeric pre-mRNAs spliced in vitro to investigate the reason for intron retention. A systematic test showed that, surprisingly, the exon sequences known to modulate exon 11 skipping were not limiting, but the 3’ splice site regions adjacent to exons 11 and 12 were too weak to support splicing when inserted into a globin intron. UV-crosslinking experiments showed binding of hnRNP F/H just 5’ of these regions, but the hnRNP F/H target sequences did not mediate inhibition. Instead, the failure of splicing is linked to weak binding of U2AF65, and spliceosome assembly stalls prior to formation of any of the ATP-dependent complexes. We discuss mechanisms by which U2AF65 binding is facilitated in vivo.

Pick one, but be quick: 5' splice sites and the problems of too many choices

Splice site selection is fundamental to pre-mRNA splicing and the expansion of genomic coding potential. 5' Splice sites (5'ss) are the critical elements at the 5' end of introns and are extremely diverse, as thousands of different sequences act as bona fide 5'ss in the human transcriptome. Most 5'ss are recognized by base-pairing with the 5' end of the U1 small nuclear RNA (snRNA). Here we review the history of research on 5'ss selection, highlighting the difficulties of establishing how base-pairing strength determines splicing outcomes. We also discuss recent work demonstrating that U1 snRNA:5'ss helices can accommodate noncanonical registers such as bulged duplexes. In addition, we describe the mechanisms by which other snRNAs, regulatory proteins, splicing enhancers, and the relative positions of alternative 5'ss contribute to selection. Moreover, we discuss mechanisms by which the recognition of numerous candidate 5'ss might lead to selection of a single 5'ss and propose that protein complexes propagate along the exon, thereby changing its physical behavior so as to affect 5'ss selection.

The transition in spliceosome assembly from complex E to complex A purges surplus U1 snRNPs from alternative splice sites

Spliceosomes are assembled in stages. The first stage forms complex E, which is characterized by the presence of U1 snRNPs base-paired to the 5′ splice site, components recognizing the 3′ splice site and proteins thought to connect them. The splice sites are held in close proximity and the pre-mRNA is committed to splicing. Despite this, the sites for splicing appear not to be fixed until the next complex (A) forms. We have investigated the reasons why 5′ splice sites are not fixed in complex E, using single molecule methods to determine the stoichiometry of U1 snRNPs bound to pre-mRNA with one or two strong 5′ splice sites. In complex E most transcripts with two alternative 5′ splice sites were bound by two U1 snRNPs. However, the surplus U1 snRNPs were displaced during complex A formation in an ATP-dependent process requiring an intact 3′ splice site. This process leaves only one U1 snRNP per complex A, regardless of the number of potential sites. We propose a mechanism for selection of the 5′ splice site. Our results show that constitutive splicing components need not be present in a fixed stoichiometry in a splicing complex.

Design principles for bifunctional targeted oligonucleotide enhancers of splicing

Controlling the patterns of splicing of specific genes is an important goal in the development of new therapies. We have shown that the splicing of a refractory exon, SMN2 exon 7, could be increased in fibroblasts derived from patients with spinal muscular atrophy by using bifunctional targeted oligonucleotide enhancers of splicing (TOES) oligonucleotides that anneal to the exon and contain a ‘tail’ of enhancer sequences that recruit activating proteins. We show here that there are striking agreements between the effects of oligonucleotides on splicing in vitro and on both splicing and SMN2 protein expression in patient-derived fibroblasts, indicating that the effects on splicing are the major determinant of success. Increased exon inclusion depends on the number, sequence and chemistry of the motifs that bind the activator protein SRSF1, but it is not improved by increasing the strength of annealing to the target site. The optimal oligonucleotide increases protein levels in transfected fibroblasts by a mean value of 2.6-fold (maximum 4.6-fold), and after two rounds of transfection the effect lasted for a month. Oligonucleotides targeted to the upstream exon (exon 6 in SMN) are also effective. We conclude that TOES oligonucleotides are highly effective reagents for restoring the splicing of refractory exons and can act across long introns.

An ancient mechanism for splicing control: U11 snRNP as an activator of alternative splicing

Alternative pre-mRNA splicing is typically regulated by specific protein factors that recognize unique sequence elements in pre-mRNA and affect, directly or indirectly, nearby splice site usage. We show that 5' splice site sequences (5'ss) of U12-type introns, when repeated in tandem, form a U11 snRNP-binding splicing enhancer, USSE. Binding of U11 to the USSE regulates alternative splicing of U2-type introns by activating an upstream 3'ss. The U12-type 5'ss-like sequences within the USSE have a regulatory role and do not function as splicing donors. USSEs, present both in animal and plant genes encoding the U11/U12 di-snRNP-specific 48K and 65K proteins, create sensitive switches that respond to intracellular levels of functional U11 snRNP and alter the stability of 48K and 65K mRNAs. We conclude that U11 functions not only in 5'ss recognition in constitutive splicing, but also as an activator of U2-dependent alternative splicing and as a regulator of the U12-dependent spliceosome.

Low U1 snRNP dependence at the NF1 exon 29 donor splice site

Many disease-causing splicing mutations described in the literature produce changes in splice sites (SS) or in exon-regulatory sequences. The delineation of these splice aberrations can provide important insights into novel regulation mechanisms. In this study, we evaluated the effect of patient variations in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) exon 29 and its 5'SS surrounding area on its splicing process. Only two of all nonsense, missense, synonymous and intronic variations analyzed in this study clearly altered exon 29 inclusion/exclusion levels. In particular, the intronic mutation +5g>a had the strongest effect, resulting in total exon exclusion. This finding prompted us to evaluate the exon 29 5'SS in relation to its ability to bind U1 snRNP. This was performed by direct analysis of the ability of U1 to bind to wild-type and mutant donor sites, by engineering an in vitro splicing system to directly evaluate the functional importance of U1 snRNA base pairing with the exon 29 donor site, and by coexpression of mutant U1 snRNP molecules to try to rescue exon 29 inclusion in vivo. The results revealed a low dependency on the presence of U1 snRNP, and suggest that exon 29 donor site definition may depend on alternative mechanisms of 5'SS recognition.

Proximity of the U12 snRNA with both the 5' splice site and the branch point during early stages of spliceosome assembly

U12 snRNA is required for branch point recognition in the U12-dependent spliceosome. Using site-specific cross-linking, we have captured an unexpected interaction between the 5' end of the U12 snRNA and the -2 position upstream of the 5' splice site of P120 and SCN4a splicing substrates. The U12 snRNA nucleotides that contact the 5' exon are the same ones that form the catalytically important helix Ib with U6atac snRNA in the spliceosome catalytic core. However, the U12/5' exon interaction is transient, occurring prior to the entry of the U4atac/U6atac.U5 tri-snRNP to the spliceosome. This suggests that the helix Ib region of U12 snRNA is positioned near the 5' splice site early during spliceosome assembly and only later interacts with U6atac to form helix Ib. We also provide evidence that U12 snRNA can simultaneously interact with 5' exon sequences near 5' splice site and the branch point sequence, suggesting that the 5' splice site and branch point sequences are separated by <40 to 50 A in the complex A of the U12-dependent spliceosome. Thus, no major rearrangements are subsequently needed to position these sites for the first step of catalysis.

Determinants of the inherent strength of human 5' splice sites

We previously showed that the authentic 5' splice site (5'ss) of the first exon in the human beta-globin gene is intrinsically stronger than a cryptic 5'ss located 16 nucleotides upstream. Here we examined by mutational analysis the contribution of individual 5'ss nucleotides to discrimination between these two 5'ss. Based on the in vitro splicing efficiencies of a panel of 26 wild-type and mutant substrates in two separate 5'ss competition assays, we established a hierarchy of 5'ss and grouped them into three functional subclasses: strong, intermediate, and weak. Competition between two 5'ss from different subclasses always resulted in selection of the 5'ss that belongs to the stronger subclass. Moreover, each subclass has different characteristic features. Strong and intermediate 5'ss can be distinguished by their predicted free energy of base-pairing to the U1 snRNA 5' terminus (DeltaG). Whereas the extent of splicing via the strong 5'ss correlates well with the DeltaG, this is not the case for competition between intermediate 5'ss. Weak 5'ss were used only when the competing authentic 5'ss was inactivated by mutation. These results indicate that extensive complementarity to U1 snRNA exerts a dominant effect for 5'ss selection, but in the case of competing 5'ss with similarly modest complementarity to U1, the role of other 5'ss features is more prominent. This study reveals the importance of additional submotifs present in certain 5'ss sequences, whose characterization will be critical for understanding 5'ss selection in human genes.

Intrinsic differences between authentic and cryptic 5' splice sites

Cryptic splice sites are used only when use of a natural splice site is disrupted by mutation. To determine the features that distinguish authentic from cryptic 5' splice sites (5'ss), we systematically analyzed a set of 76 cryptic 5'ss derived from 46 human genes. These cryptic 5'ss have a similar frequency distribution in exons and introns, and are usually located close to the authentic 5'ss. Statistical analysis of the strengths of the 5'ss using the Shapiro and Senapathy matrix revealed that authentic 5'ss have significantly higher score values than cryptic 5'ss, which in turn have higher values than the mutant ones. beta-Globin provides an interesting exception to this rule, so we chose it for detailed experimental analysis in vitro. We found that the sequences of the beta-globin authentic and cryptic 5'ss, but not their surrounding context, determine the correct 5'ss choice, although their respective scores do not reflect this functional difference. Our analysis provides a statistical basis to explain the competitive advantage of authentic over cryptic 5'ss in most cases, and should facilitate the development of tools to reliably predict the effect of disease-associated 5'ss-disrupting mutations at the mRNA level.

Efficient use of a 'dead-end' GA 5' splice site in the human fibroblast growth factor receptor genes

We have investigated use of a conserved non-canonical GA 5' splice site present in vertebrate fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) genes. Despite previous studies suggesting that GA at the beginning of an intron is incompatible with splicing, we observe efficient utilization of this splice site for human FGFR1 gene constructs. We show that use of the GA splice site is dependent on both a conventional splice site six nucleotides upstream and sequence elements within the downstream intron. Furthermore, our results are consistent with competition between the tandem 5' splice sites being mediated by U6 snRNP, rather than U1 snRNP. Thus the GA 5' splice site represents an extension of the adjacent conventional 5' splice site, the first natural example of such a composite 5' splice site.

Selection of alternative 5' splice sites: role of U1 snRNP and models for the antagonistic effects of SF2/ASF and hnRNP A1

The first component known to recognize and discriminate among potential 5' splice sites (5'SSs) in pre-mRNA is the U1 snRNP. However, the relative levels of U1 snRNP binding to alternative 5'SSs do not necessarily determine the splicing outcome. Strikingly, SF2/ASF, one of the essential SR protein-splicing factors, causes a dose-dependent shift in splicing to a downstream (intron-proximal) site, and yet it increases U1 snRNP binding at upstream and downstream sites simultaneously. We show here that hnRNP A1, which shifts splicing towards an upstream 5'SS, causes reduced U1 snRNP binding at both sites. Nonetheless, the importance of U1 snRNP binding is shown by proportionality between the level of U1 snRNP binding to the downstream site and its use in splicing. With purified components, hnRNP A1 reduces U1 snRNP binding to 5'SSs by binding cooperatively and indiscriminately to the pre-mRNA. Mutations in hnRNP A1 and SF2/ASF show that the opposite effects of the proteins on 5'SS choice are correlated with their effects on U1 snRNP binding. Cross-linking experiments show that SF2/ASF and hnRNP A1 compete to bind pre-mRNA, and we conclude that this competition is the basis of their functional antagonism; SF2/ASF enhances U1 snRNP binding at all 5'SSs, the rise in simultaneous occupancy causing a shift in splicing towards the downstream site, whereas hnRNP A1 interferes with U1 snRNP binding such that 5'SS occupancy is lower and the affinities of U1 snRNP for the individual sites determine the site of splicing.

Evidence for splice site pairing via intron definition in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Schizosaccharomyces pombe pre-mRNAs are generally multi-intronic and share certain features with pre-mRNAs from Drosophila melanogaster, in which initial splice site pairing can occur via either exon or intron definition. Here, we present three lines of evidence suggesting that, despite these similarities, fission yeast splicing is most likely restricted to intron definition. First, mutating either or both splice sites flanking an internal exon in the S. pombe cdc2 gene produced almost exclusively intron retention, in contrast to the exon skipping observed in vertebrates. Second, we were unable to induce skipping of the internal microexon in fission yeast cgs2, whereas the default splicing pathway excludes extremely small exons in mammals. Because nearly quantitative removal of the downstream intron in cgs2 could be achieved by expanding the microexon, we propose that its retention is due to steric occlusion. Third, several cryptic 5' junctions in the second intron of fission yeast cdc2 are located within the intron, in contrast to their generally exonic locations in metazoa. The effects of expanding and contracting this intron are as predicted by intron definition; in fact, even highly deviant 5' junctions can compete effectively with the standard 5' splice site if they are closer to the 3' splicing signals. Taken together, our data suggest that pairing of splice sites in S. pombe most likely occurs exclusively across introns in a manner that favors excision of the smallest segment possible.

Better conditions for mammalian in vitro splicing provided by acetate and glutamate as potassium counterions

We demonstrate here that replacing potassium chloride (KCl) with potassium acetate (KAc) or potassium glutamate (KGlu) routinely enhances the yield of RNA intermediates and products obtained from in vitro splicing reactions performed in HeLa cell nuclear extract. This effect was reproducibly observed with multiple splicing substrates. The enhanced yields are at least partially due to stabilization of splicing precursors and products in the KAc and KGlu reactions. This stabilization relative to KCl reactions was greatest with KGlu and was observed over an extended potassium concentration range. The RNA stability differences could not be attributed to heavy metal contamination of the KCl, since ultrapure preparations of this salt yielded similar results. After testing various methods for altering the salts, we found that substitution of KAc or KGlu for KCl and MgAc(2)for MgCl(2)in splicing reactions is the simplest and most effective. Since the conditions defined here more closely mimic in vivo ionic concentrations, they may permit the study of more weakly spliced substrates, as well as facilitate more detailed analyses of spliceosome structure and function.

The pre-mRNA 5' cap determines whether U6 small nuclear RNA succeeds U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle at 5' splice sites

Efficient splicing of the 5'-most intron of pre-mRNA requires a 5' m7G(5')ppp(5')N cap, which has been implicated in U1 snRNP binding to 5' splice sites. We demonstrate that the cap alters the kinetic profile of U1 snRNP binding, but its major effect is on U6 snRNA binding. With two alternative wild-type splice sites in an adenovirus pre-mRNA, the cap selectively alters U1 snRNA binding at the site to which cap-independent U1 snRNP binding is stronger and that is used predominantly in splicing; with two consensus sites, the cap acts on both, even though one is substantially preferred for splicing. However, the most striking quantitative effect of the 5' cap is neither on U1 snRNP binding nor on the assembly of large complexes but on the replacement of U1 snRNP by U6 snRNA at the 5' splice site. Inhibition of splicing by a cap analogue is correlated with the loss of U6 interactions at the 5' splice site and not with any loss of U1 snRNP binding.

Imprecise excision of the Caenorhabditis elegans transposon Tc1 creates functional 5' splice sites

Imprecise excision of the Caenorhabditis elegans transposon Tc1 from a specific site of insertion within the unc-54 myosin heavy chain gene generates either wild-type or partial phenotypic revertants. Wild-type revertants and one class of partial revertants contain insertions of four nucleotides in the unc-54 third exon (Tc1 "footprints"). Such revertants express large amounts of functional unc-54 myosin despite having what would appear to be frameshifting insertions in the unc-54 third exon. We demonstrate that these Tc1 footprints act as efficient 5' splice sites for removal of the unc-54 third intron. Splicing of these new 5' splice sites to the normal third intron splice acceptor removes the Tc1 footprint from the mature mRNA and restores the normal translational reading frame. Partial revertant unc-54(r661), which contains a single nucleotide substitution relative to the wild-type gene, is spliced similarly, except that the use of its new 5' splice site creates a frameshift in the mature mRNA rather than removing one. In all of these revertants, two alternative 5' splice sites are available to remove intron 3. We determined the relative efficiency with which each alternative 5' splice site is used by stabilizing frameshifted mRNAs with smg(-) genetic backgrounds. In all cases, the upstream member of the two alternative sites is used preferentially (> 75% utilization). This may reflect an inherent preference of the splicing machinery for the upstream member of two closely spaced 5' splice sites. Creation of new 5' splice sites may be a general characteristic of Tc1 insertion and excision events.

Imprecise excision of the Caenorhabditis elegans transposon Tc1 creates functional 5' splice sites

Imprecise excision of the Caenorhabditis elegans transposon Tc1 from a specific site of insertion within the unc-54 myosin heavy chain gene generates either wild-type or partial phenotypic revertants. Wild-type revertants and one class of partial revertants contain insertions of four nucleotides in the unc-54 third exon (Tc1 "footprints"). Such revertants express large amounts of functional unc-54 myosin despite having what would appear to be frameshifting insertions in the unc-54 third exon. We demonstrate that these Tc1 footprints act as efficient 5' splice sites for removal of the unc-54 third intron. Splicing of these new 5' splice sites to the normal third intron splice acceptor removes the Tc1 footprint from the mature mRNA and restores the normal translational reading frame. Partial revertant unc-54(r661), which contains a single nucleotide substitution relative to the wild-type gene, is spliced similarly, except that the use of its new 5' splice site creates a frameshift in the mature mRNA rather than removing one. In all of these revertants, two alternative 5' splice sites are available to remove intron 3. We determined the relative efficiency with which each alternative 5' splice site is used by stabilizing frameshifted mRNAs with smg(-) genetic backgrounds. In all cases, the upstream member of the two alternative sites is used preferentially (> 75% utilization). This may reflect an inherent preference of the splicing machinery for the upstream member of two closely spaced 5' splice sites. Creation of new 5' splice sites may be a general characteristic of Tc1 insertion and excision events.

Splice site selection in polyomavirus late pre-mRNA processing

Polyomavirus late pre-mRNAs contain one 5' splice site and two message body 3' splice sites, which are not used at equal frequencies. As a result of alternative splicing, the total late mRNA population consists of about 5% mVP2 (no message body splice chosen), about 15% mVP3 (promoter-proximal 3' splice site chosen), and about 80% mVP1 (promoter-distal 3' splice site chosen). To determine whether it is splice site strength that determines the ratio of spliced products, constructs containing duplicated or rearranged 3' splice sites were created. In construct VP1,1, 160 bp surrounding the VP3 3' splice site was substituted with the corresponding region of the VP1 3' splice site. This construct resulted in the duplication of the VP1 3' splicing signal. VP3,3 (two identical VP3 3' splice sites) and VP1,3 (VP1 and VP3 3' splice sites reversed) were similarly created. Each construct maintained wild-type spacing between the 3' splice sites. Analysis of RNAs from transfections showed that in each construct, the 3' splice closest to the polyadenylation site was used preferentially. Analysis of a number of additional constructs indicated that there are no strong cis-acting positive or negative regulators of polyomavirus late splicing; rather, splicing choices appear to be determined largely by relative position of splice sites.

Mechanisms for selecting 5' splice sites in mammalian pre-mRNA splicing

Identification of 5' splice sites requires that limited and dispersed sequence information be interpreted precisely. Both snRNAs and proteins are required for this process. The selection of 5' splice sites in alternative splicing is closely related to that in constitutive splicing, and uses the same components in somewhat different ways.

Are vertebrate exons scanned during splice-site selection?

Pairwise recognition of splice sites as a result of a scanning mechanism is an attractive model to explain the coordination of vertebrate splicing. Such a mechanism would predict a polarity-of-site recognition in the scanned unit, but no evidence for a polarity gradient across introns has been found. We have suggested that the exon rather than the intron is the unit of recognition in vertebrates and that polyadenylation and splicing factors interact during recognition of 3'-terminal exons. Interaction is reflected in maximal rates of in vitro polyadenylation. If scanning across the exon is operating during this interaction, then insertion of a 5' splice site should depress polyadenylation. Here we report recognition in vitro and in vivo of a 5' splice site situated within a 3'-terminal exon, and a concomitant depression of polyadenylation and ultraviolet crosslinking of a polyadenylation factor. Decreased crosslinking was only found when the 3' and 5' splice sites were within 300 nucleotides of each other. These results are consistent with an exon scanning mechanism for splice-site selection.

RNA processing

Significant progress has been made over the last year in our understanding of the roles that RNA-binding proteins play in pre-mRNA splicing, the components of the spliceosome and how these components relate to the mechanism of splicing. Of particular importance has been the sequence analysis of the first mammalian splicing factors and structural determination of an RNA-binding domain.

Partial deletion of a dystrophin gene leads to exon skipping and to loss of an intra-exon hairpin structure from the predicted mRNA precursor

In dystrophin Kobe exon 19 of the dystrophin gene is skipped during the process of mRNA precursor splicing even though the splice sites are unchanged (Matsuo et al. J. Clin. Invest. 87:2127-2131,1991). In the predicted secondary structure of the mRNA precursor, exon 19 of dystrophin Kobe is paired with intron sequences, whereas a large part of exon sequence from wild type is paired with itself and folded into a large hairpin structure. As all of 22 additional dystrophin exons analyzed also form intra-exon hairpin structures, these structures may be considered essential components of exons. We suggest that the abolishment of a hairpin structure in the truncated exon of dystrophin Kobe might prevent the splicing machinery from recognizing the splice sites and induce exon skipping.

Multiple forms of mRNA encoding human pregnancy-associated endometrial alpha 2-globulin, a beta-lactoglobulin homologue

Human pregnancy-associated endometrial alpha 2-globulin (alpha 2-PEG) is the major secretory protein product of the endometrium during embryo implantation and the first few weeks of pregnancy. It is a homologue of beta-lactoglobulin, a retinol binding protein, but unlike beta-lactoglobulin it is not found in the mammary gland. The cloning and sequencing of 34 alpha 2-PEG clones has revealed several minor variant forms indicative of alternatively spliced alpha 2-PEG pre-mRNA. These minor forms have also been detected amongst uncloned cDNA after PCR amplification. Some of these mRNAs would give rise to forms of alpha 2-PEG protein lacking internal sequences, whereas others affect the mRNA sequences on the 3' boundary of the presumed termination codon. Sequences within the cDNA clones are consistent with the existence of splice sites, and together with similarities found between alpha 2-PEG cDNA and beta-lactoglobulin gene sequences there is good evidence in support of an unusual scheme for the alternative splicing of alpha 2-PEG pre-mRNA involving both alternative 5' splice sites and alternative 3' splice sites. This scheme suggests that the alpha 2-PEG and beta-lactoglobulin genes share a similar structure in at least two regions, and it is likely that beta-lactoglobulin pre-mRNA would show a similar pattern of alternative splicing for one of these regions.