ELAV/Hu RNA binding proteins determine multiple programs of neural alternative splicing Journal Article


Authors: Lee, S.; Wei, L.; Zhang, B.; Goering, R.; Majumdar, S.; Wen, J.; Taliaferro, J. M.; Lai, E. C.
Article Title: ELAV/Hu RNA binding proteins determine multiple programs of neural alternative splicing
Abstract: ELAV/Hu factors are conserved RNA binding proteins (RBPs) that play diverse roles in mRNA processing and regulation. The founding member, Drosophila Elav, was recognized as a vital neural factor 35 years ago. Nevertheless, little was known about its impacts on the transcriptome, and potential functional overlap with its paralogs. Building on our recent findings that neural-specific lengthened 3' UTR isoforms are co-determined by ELAV/Hu factors, we address their impacts on splicing. While only a few splicing targets of Drosophila are known, ectopic expression of each of the three family members (Elav, Fne and Rbp9) alters hundreds of cassette exon and alternative last exon (ALE) splicing choices. Reciprocally, double mutants of elav/fne, but not elav alone, exhibit opposite effects on both classes of regulated mRNA processing events in larval CNS. While manipulation of Drosophila ELAV/Hu RBPs induces both exon skipping and inclusion, characteristic ELAV/Hu motifs are enriched only within introns flanking exons that are suppressed by ELAV/Hu factors. Moreover, the roles of ELAV/Hu factors in global promotion of distal ALE splicing are mechanistically linked to terminal 3' UTR extensions in neurons, since both processes involve bypass of proximal polyadenylation signals linked to ELAV/Hu motifs downstream of cleavage sites. We corroborate the direct action of Elav in diverse modes of mRNA processing using RRM-dependent Elav-CLIP data from S2 cells. Finally, we provide evidence for conservation in mammalian neurons, which undergo broad programs of distal ALE and APA lengthening, linked to ELAV/Hu motifs downstream of regulated polyadenylation sites. Overall, ELAV/Hu RBPs orchestrate multiple broad programs of neuronal mRNA processing and isoform diversification in Drosophila and mammalian neurons. © 2021 Public Library of Science. All rights reserved.
Journal Title: PLoS Genetics
Volume: 17
Issue: 4
ISSN: 1553-7390
Publisher: Public Library of Science  
Date Published: 2021-04-07
Start Page: 1009439
Language: English
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009439
PUBMED: 33826609
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC8055025
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 3 May 2021 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Eric C Lai
    153 Lai
  2. Binglong Zhang
    6 Zhang
  3. Lu Wei
    4 Wei
  4. Seungjae Lee
    7 Lee