Characterization of a gametophyte-specific splicing factor network in relation to its sporophytic counterpart: Implications for cell specification mechanisms

在植物中，剪接因子Snu114的缺陷会导致多余卵细胞的形成，目前尚不清楚剪接体的一个组成部分是如何导致这种特殊的发育缺陷的。在酵母中，Snu114调节解旋酶Brr2，从而触发剪接体的激活。反过来，Snu114的功能取决于它与PRP8的相互作用，PRP8是剪接体U5亚基的核心蛋白。有趣的是，这组相互作用的基因在植物中是唯一复制的，第二组基因在配子体组织中特异性表达。我们的研究结果表明，剪接体的植物特异性分化，可能是为了适应配子体的单倍体性质。本研究的目的是表征配子体特异性剪接因子网络，分析其与孢子体对应物的关系，并明确其与调节细胞命运决定的机制的联系。我们希望通过我们的工作表明，剪接体是一种模块化结构，可以指导发育决策。因此，我们的研究将对所有从事生物系统发育方面工作的科学家具有潜在的兴趣和益处。

In plants, defects in the splicing factor Snu114 lead to the formation of supernumerary egg cells, and it is not clear, how an integral component of the spliceosome can cause such a specific developmental defect. In yeast, Snu114 regulates the helicase Brr2, thereby triggering the activation of the spliceosome. Snu114 function, in turn, depends on its interaction with PRP8, a core protein of the U5 subunit of the spliceosome. Intriguingly, this set of interacting genes is uniquely duplicated in plants with the second set being specifically expressed in gametophytic tissue. Our results suggest a plant specific differentiation of the spliceosome, possibly as an adaptation to the haploid nature of the gametophytes. The goal of this proposal is to characterize the gametophytic-specific splicing factor network, to analyze the relation to its sporophytic counterpart, and to specify the connection to mechanisms that regulate cell fate decisions. We hope to show with our work that the spliceosome is a modular structure that can direct developmental decisions. Our research will thus be of potential interest and benefit to all scientists working on developmental aspects of biological systems.