Functioning of the Drosophila Wilms'-Tumor-1-Associated Protein Homolog, Fl(2)d, in Sex-Lethal-Dependent Alternative Splicing

• DOI: 10.1534/genetics.107.081679
• Publication Date: 2008-02-04T01:28:41Z
• Authors: Jill K M Penn; Patricia Graham; Girish Deshpande; Gretchen Calhoun; Ahmad Sami Chaouki; Helen K Salz; Paul Schedl
• Keywords: Spliceosome; Ultrabithorax; snRNP; Splicing factor

Abstract fl(2)d, the Drosophila homolog of Wilms'-tumor-1-associated protein (WTAP), regulates alternative splicing Sex-lethal (Sxl), transformer (tra), and Ultrabithorax (Ubx). Although WTAP has been found in functional human spliceosomes, exactly how it contributes to process remains unknown. Here we attempt identify factors that interact genetically physically with fl(2)d. We begin by analyzing Sxl-Fl(2)d protein–protein interaction detail present evidence suggesting female-specific fl(2)d1 allele is antimorphic respect sex determination. Next show fl(2)d interacts early acting general regulators Fl(2)d immunoprecipitable complexes Snf, U2AF50, U2AF38, U1-70K. By contrast, could not detect containing U5 snRNP U5-40K or a associates activated B spliceosomal complex SKIP. Significantly, genetic molecular interactions observed for Sxl are quite similar those detected Taken together, our findings suggest function alter splice-site selection at an step spliceosome assembly.