Polypyrimidine tract binding protein inhibits IgM pre-mRNA splicing by diverting U2 snRNA base-pairing away from the branch point

Abstract

The mouse immunoglobulin (IgM) pre-mRNA contains a splicing inhibitor that bears multiple binding sites for the splicing repressor polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB). Here we show that the inhibitor directs assembly of an ATP-dependent complex that contains PTB and U1 and U2 small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). Unexpectedly, although U2 snRNA is present in the inhibitor complex, it is not base-paired to the branch point. We present evidence that inhibitor-bound PTB contacts U2 snRNA to promote base-pairing to an adjacent branch point–like sequence within the inhibitor, thereby preventing the U2 snRNA–branch point interaction and resulting in splicing repression. Our studies reveal a novel mechanism by which PTB represses splicing.