The SRm160/300 splicing coactivator, which consists
of the serine/arginine (SR)-related nuclear matrix
protein of 160 kDa and a 300-kDa nuclear
matrix antigen, functions in splicing by promoting critical
interactions between splicing factors bound to pre-mRNA,
including snRNPs and SR family proteins. In this article
we report the isolation of a cDNA encoding the 300-kDa
antigen and investigate the activity of it and SRm160 in
splicing. Like SRm160, the 300-kDa antigen contains domains
rich in alternating S and R residues but lacks an RNA recognition
motif; the protein is accordingly named “SRm300.”
SRm300 also contains a novel and highly conserved N-terminal
domain, several unique repeated motifs rich in S, R, and
proline residues, and two very long polyserine tracts.
Surprisingly, specific depletion of SRm300 does not prevent
the splicing of pre-mRNAs shown previously to require SRm160/300.
Addition of recombinant SRm160 alone to SRm160/300-depleted
reactions specifically activates splicing. The results
indicate that SRm160 may be the more critical component
of the SRm160/300 coactivator in the splicing of SRm160/300-dependent
pre-mRNAs.