Psr1 phosphatase regulates pre‐mRNA splicing through spliceosomal B complex factor Snu66

Abstract

Regulated precursor messenger RNA (pre‐mRNA) splicing modulates gene expression and promotes alternative splicing. The process is regulated by modifications of spliceosomal proteins and small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). Here, we show that the protein phosphatase Psr1, known for its plasma membrane localisation and function in general stress response in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also plays a regulatory role in pre‐mRNA splicing. Independently of its presence at the plasma membrane, Psr1 binds and dephosphorylates the core splicing factor Snu66. The enzyme is not an integral component of the spliceosome. Psr1 deletion in yeast, or tethering of its catalytic mutant to Snu66, results in splicing defects of introns with non‐canonical 5′ splice sites (ss). While the Psr1 binding site on Snu66 is distinct from the Hub1 interaction domains (HIND), Hub1 displaces Psr1 from Snu66. Thus, Psr1 phosphatase plays a regulatory role in pre‐mRNA splicing by modulating Snu66 functions.