# Nutrient regulation of Alternative splicing and transcription by O-GlcNAcylation

> **NIH NIH R01** · CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON, D.C. · 2022 · $339,213

## Abstract

The long-term goal of this project is to understand the molecular mechanisms that control gene
expression and developmental transitions. While transcription has been extensively studied, the
posttranscriptional mechanisms of RNA alternative splicing is much less understood despite of their
importance in cellular regulation, human health, and plant growth and development. We have
discovered that the Arabidopsis protein AtAcinus is evolutionarily related to but highly divergent from
the human Acinus protein, which plays important roles in regulating transcription, RNA alternative
splicing, and apoptosis. Our unpublished studies have shown that AtAcinus is modified by O-
GlcNAcylation, plays essential role in alternative splicing of a number of genes, many of which
encoding key components of signaling and developmental pathways. In particular, our data indicate
that AtAcinus play important roles in regulating seed germination and flowering, two major
developmental transition in plants. Using a combination of proteomics, genetics, genomic and
biochemical approaches in the Arabidopsis model system, we have made tremendous progress in
understanding the functions of AtAcinus. Our results support a hypothesis that AtAcinus is controlled
by O-GlcNAcylation in response to endogenous and environmental cues, and in turn it regulates key
cellular pathways through both transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. In this proposal,
we plan to continue using the combination of proteomic, genomic and genetic approaches to further
advance our understanding of Acinus regulatory pathway. We will 1) dissect the molecular functions
of AtAcinus, particularly taking advantage of proximity labeling, cross-linking mass spectrometry and
biochemical fractionation, CLIP-seq and CLIP-MS technologies to understand how AtAcinus carries
out multiple functions (aim 1 and 3); 2) dissect how AtAcinus functions are regulated by post-
translational modifications (aim 2). The experiments outlined in this proposal will greatly advance
our understanding of the molecular mechanism of RNA alternatively splicing and O-GlcNAcylation
and the mechanisms of signal integration at post-transcriptional level. Given the evolutionary
conservation of Acinus, this study not only is important for plant biology and agriculture, but also can
potentially help us understand fundamental mechanisms of signaling and cellular regulation that are
relevant broadly.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10312759
- **Project number:** 5R01GM135706-03
- **Recipient organization:** CARNEGIE INSTITUTION OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
- **Principal Investigator:** Shouling Xu
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $339,213
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-12-01 → 2024-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10312759

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10312759, Nutrient regulation of Alternative splicing and transcription by O-GlcNAcylation (5R01GM135706-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10312759. Licensed CC0.

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