PKR activation and eIF2? phosphorylation mediate human globin mRNA splicing at spliceosome assembly.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Short elements in mammalian mRNA can control gene expression by activating the RNA-dependent protein kinase PKR that attenuates translation by phosphorylating cytoplasmic eukaryotic initiation factor 2? (eIF2?). We demonstrate a novel, positive role for PKR activation and eIF2? phosphorylation in human globin mRNA splicing. PKR localizes in splicing complexes and associates with splicing factor SC35. Splicing and early-stage spliceosome assembly on ?-globin pre-mRNA depend strictly on activation of PKR by a codon-containing RNA fragment within exon 1 and on phosphorylation of nuclear eIF2? on Serine 51. Nonphosphorylatable mutant eIF2?S51A blocked ?-globin mRNA splicing in cells and nuclear extract. Mutations of the ?-globin RNA activator abrogated PKR activation and profoundly affected mRNA splicing efficiency. PKR depletion abrogated splicing and spliceosome assembly; recombinant PKR effectively restored splicing. Excision of the first intron of ?-globin induces strand displacement within the RNA activator of PKR by a sequence from exon 2, a structural rearrangement that silences the ability of spliced ?-globin mRNA to activate PKR. Thus, the ability to activate PKR is transient, serving solely to enable splicing. ?-Globin pre-mRNA splicing is controlled likewise but positions of PKR activator and silencer are reversed, demonstrating evolutionary flexibility in how PKR activation regulates globin mRNA splicing through eIF2? phosphorylation.
SUBMITTER: Ilan L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5520854 | biostudies-other | 2017 May
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other
ACCESS DATA