Alignment of Mitotic Chromosomes in Human Cells Involves SR-Like Splicing Factors Btf and TRAP150

Here we show that depletion of the homologous non-classical serine-arginine-rich (SR) splicing factors Btf (BCLAF1) and TRAP150 causes mitotic defects. We propose that, in addition to their previously reported roles in maintaining mRNA distribution, Btf and TRAP150 control abundance of transcripts encoding mitotic regulators thereby affecting mitotic progression in human cells. Affymetrix Exon 1.0 ST microarrays were performed according to the manufacturer's directions with mRNA isolated from cultured HeLa cells treated with siRNA targeting Btf, TRAP150, or a control siRNA.