The SR family proteins and SR-related polypeptides are important regulators of pre-mRNA splicing. A novel SR-related protein of an apparent molecular mass of 53 kDa was isolated in a gene trap screen that identifies proteins which localize to the nuclear speckles. This novel protein possesses an arginine-and serine-rich domain and was termed SRrp53 (for SR-related protein of 53 kDa). In support for a role of this novel RS-containing protein in pre-mRNA splicing, we identified the mouse ortholog of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae U1 snRNP-specific protein Luc7p and the U2AF 65 -related factor HCC1 as interacting proteins. In addition, SRrp53 is able to interact with some members of the SR family of proteins and with U2AF 35 in a yeast two-hybrid system and in cell extracts. We show that in HeLa nuclear extracts immunodepleted of SRrp53, the second step of pre-mRNA splicing is blocked, and recombinant SRrp53 is able to restore splicing activity. SRrp53 also regulates alternative splicing in a concentration-dependent manner. Taken together, these results suggest that SRrp53 is a novel SR-related protein that has a role both in constitutive and in alternative splicing.Pre-mRNA splicing takes place in the spliceosome, a large ribonucleoprotein complex that is formed by the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (U1, U2, U4/U6, and U5 snRNPs) and numerous non-snRNP splicing factors (reviewed in reference 36).The serine-and arginine-rich proteins (SR proteins) are a highly conserved family of structurally and functionally related non-snRNP splicing factors with a dual role in splicing, affecting both constitutive and alternative splicing. They have a modular domain structure consisting of one or two RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) and a C-terminal domain rich in arginine and serine residues, termed the RS domain (20). The RRMs determine RNA binding specificity, whereas the RS domain, which is extensively phosphorylated, promotes protein-protein interactions that are essential for the recruitment of the splicing apparatus and for splice site pairing (61, 67). The RS domains have been shown to directly contact the pre-mRNA branch point; thus, RS domains may not solely function through protein-protein interactions (53). In addition, the RS domain of SR proteins directs subcellular localization and determines the nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of individual SR proteins (10,27,39).The SR family proteins function early in spliceosome formation and are involved in multiple steps of the splicing reaction (59). They facilitate the recruitment of the U1 snRNP particle to the 5Ј splice site (18,33,35) and also bridge the 5Ј and 3Ј splice sites via RS-domain-mediated interactions with U1 and U2 snRNP-associated proteins (67). The SR family proteins also participate at later stages of the splicing reaction, when they facilitate the recruitment of the U4/U6 ⅐ U5 trisnRNP complex (48).A class of related RS-domain-containing proteins that may or may not contain RRMs is also involved in splicing regulation and has been termed the SR-protein...