RNA recognition motif (RRM) found in fission yeast pre-mRNA-splicing factor Srp1p, Arabidopsis thaliana arginine/serine-rich-splicing factor RSp31 and similar proteins
This subfamily corresponds to the RRM of Srp1p and RRM2 of plant SR splicing factors. Srp1p is encoded by gene srp1 from fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. It plays a role in the pre-mRNA splicing process, but is not essential for growth. Srp1p is closely related to the SR protein family found in Metazoa. It contains an N-terminal RNA recognition motif (RRM), also termed RBD (RNA binding domain) or RNP (ribonucleoprotein domain), a glycine hinge and a RS domain in the middle, and a C-terminal domain. The family also includes a novel group of arginine/serine (RS) or serine/arginine (SR) splicing factors existing in plants, such as A. thaliana RSp31, RSp35, RSp41 and similar proteins. Like vertebrate RS splicing factors, these proteins function as plant splicing factors and play crucial roles in constitutive and alternative splicing in plants. They all contain two RRMs at their N-terminus and an RS domain at their C-terminus.