The Sm Core Protein SmEb Regulates Salt Stress Responses Through Maintaining Proper Splicing of RCD1 Pre-mRNA in Arabidopsis

Salt stress caused by soil salination inhibits plant growth and development that result in reduction of crop yield and threaten the food security. Several spliceosome components are considered to modify salt stress responses in plants. However, the molecular basis of spliceosome proteins adjustment to salt stress is still unclear. Here we report that an Sm core protein SmEb is required for salt tolerance in Arabidopsis. In addition, SmEb controls alternative splicing of hundreds of pre-mRNA to participate in plant response to salt stress. Our results further reveal that SmEb takes effect on maintain proper ratio of two RCD1 splicing variants to adjust to H2O2 accumulation under salt stress. Together, our findings uncover that proper alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs governed by the spliceosome component SmEb is essential for plant salt stress responses. Salt stress caused by soil salination inhibits plant growth and development that result in reduction of crop yield and threaten the food security. Several spliceosome components are considered to modify salt stress responses in plants. However, the molecular basis of spliceosome proteins adjustment to salt stress is still unclear. Here we report that an Sm core protein SmEb is required for salt tolerance in Arabidopsis. In addition, SmEb controls alternative splicing of hundreds of pre-mRNA to participate in plant response to salt stress. Our results further reveal that SmEb takes effect on maintain proper ratio of two RCD1 splicing variants to adjust to H2O2 accumulation under salt stress. Together, our findings uncover that proper alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs governed by the spliceosome component SmEb is essential for plant salt stress responses. Overall design: Twelve-day-old smeb-1, smeb-2, and Col-0 seedlings grown on 0.5× MS medium were treated with 200 mM NaCl for 0 or 6 h.