Cells resist starvation through a nutrient stress splice switch.

ABSTRACT: Introns are common features of eukaryotic genes, typically removed through splicing to produce functional RNAs. In yeast, some introns play roles beyond host gene expression, mediating cellular responses to nutrient depletion. However, the mechanisms underlying these functions remain unclear. Here, we show that intron-dependent resistance to starvation is mediated by changes in spliceosome stoichiometry driven by a differential increase in the abundance of U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP). Increased levels of U1 snRNP enhance its binding to, and promote splicing of, introns needed for improved tolerance to starvation. Nutrient depletion both increases and decreases the removal of different sets of introns. Remarkably, only introns that are more efficiently spliced out under starv

SUBMITTER: Parenteau J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12205981 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature