The RNAissance family: SR proteins as multifaceted regulators of gene expression

Serine and arginine‐rich ( SR ) proteins play multiple roles in the eukaryotic gene expression pathway. Initially described as constitutive and alternative splicing factors, now it is clear that SR proteins are key determinants of exon identity and function as molecular adaptors, linking the pre‐messenger RNA (pre‐ mRNA ) to the splicing machinery. In addition, now SR proteins are implicated in many aspects of mRNA and noncoding RNA ( ncRNA ) processing well beyond splicing. These unexpected roles, including RNA transcription, export, translation, and decay, may prove to be the rule rather than the exception. To simply define, this family of RNA ‐binding proteins as splicing factors belies the broader roles of SR proteins in post‐transcriptional gene expression. WIREs RNA 2015, 6:93–110. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1260 This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein–RNA Recognition RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein–RNA Interactions: Functional Implications RNA Processing > Splicing Mechanisms RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing