SKIP controls flowering time via the alternative splicing of SEF pre-mRNA in Arabidopsis

• Published in: BMC biology Vol. 15; no. 1; p. 80
• Main Authors: Cui, Zhibo, Tong, Aizi, Huo, Yiqiong, Yan, Zhiqiang, Yang, Weiqi, Yang, Xianli, Wang, Xiao-Xue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 11.09.2017; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Abiotic stress; Abscisic acid; Alternative Splicing; Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Arabidopsis thaliana; Chromatin remodeling; Circadian rhythm; Circadian rhythms; Eukaryotes; Flowering; Flowering time; Flowers - growth & development; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Genetic engineering; Kinases; Leaves; Mammals; Messenger RNA; Morphogenesis; mRNA; Mutation; Phase transitions; Plant flowering; Proteins; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; RNA polymerase; RNA Precursors - genetics; RNA Precursors - metabolism; RNA, Plant - genetics; RNA, Plant - metabolism; SEF; SKIP; Splicing factor; Splicing factors; SWR1 complex; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; SKIP; Flowering time; SEF; Splicing factor; SWR1 complex
• ISSN: 1741-7007; 1741-7007
• DOI: 10.1186/s12915-017-0422-2

Similar to other eukaryotes, splicing is emerging as an important process affecting development and stress tolerance in plants. Ski-interacting protein (SKIP), a splicing factor, is essential for circadian clock function and abiotic stress tolerance; however, the mechanisms whereby it regulates flowering time are unknown. In this study, we found that SKIP is required for the splicing of serrated leaves and early flowering (SEF) pre-messenger RNA (mRNA), which encodes a component of the ATP-dependent SWR1 chromatin remodeling complex (SWR1-C). Defects in the splicing of SEF pre-mRNA reduced H2A.Z enrichment at FLC, MAF4, and MAF5, suppressed the expression of these genes, and produced an early flowering phenotype in skip-1 plants. Our findings indicate that SKIP regulates SWR1-C function via alternative splicing to control the floral transition in Arabidopsis thaliana.