Splicing factor SF1 contributes to the recognition of the 3′ splice site by interacting with U2AF65 and binding to the intron branch site during the formation of the early splicing complex E. These interactions and the essential functional domains of SF1 are highly conserved in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We have isolated cDNAs encoding SF1 from Drosophila (Dm) and Caenorhabditis (Ce). The encoded proteins share the U2AF65 interaction domain, a hnRNP K homology domain, and one or two zinc knuckles required for RNA binding as well as Pro-rich C-terminal sequences with their yeast and mammalian counterparts. In contrast to SF1 in other species, DmSF1 and CeSF1 are characterized by an N-terminal region enriched in Ser, Arg, Lys, and Asp residues with homology to the RS domains of several splicing proteins. These domains mediate protein–protein or protein–RNA interactions, suggesting an additional role for DmSF1 and CeSF1 in pre-mRNA splicing. Human (Hs), fly, and worm SF1 interact equally well with HsU2AF65 or the Drosophila homolog DmU2AF50. Moreover, DmSF1 lacking its N terminus is functional in prespliceosome formation in a HeLa splicing system, emphasizing the conserved nature of interactions at an early step in spliceosome assembly. The Ce-SF1 gene is located in a polycistronic transcription unit downstream of the genes encoding U2AF35 (uaf-2) and a cyclophilin (cyp-13), implying the coordinate transcriptional regulation of these genes. Injection of double-stranded RNA into C. elegans results in embryonic lethality; thus, the SF1 gene is essential not only in yeast but also in at least one metazoan.

The modular structure of splicing factor SF1 is conserved from yeast to man and SF1 acts at early stages of spliceosome assembly in both organisms. The hnRNP K homology (KH) domain of human (h) SF1 is the major determinant for RNA binding and is essential for the activity of hSF1 in spliceosome assembly, supporting the view that binding of SF1 to RNA is essential for its function. Sequences N-terminal to the KH domain mediate the interaction between hSF1 and U2AF65, which binds to the polypyrimidine tract upstream of the 3′ splice site. Moreover, yeast (y) SF1 interacts with Mud2p, the presumptive U2AF65 homologue in yeast, and the interaction domain is conserved in ySF1. The C-terminal degenerate RRMs in U2AF65 and Mud2p mediate the association with hSF1 and ySF1, respectively. Analysis of chimeric constructs of hSF1 and ySF indicates that the KH domain may serve a similar function in both systems, whereas sequences C-terminal to the KH domain are not exchangeable. Thus, these results argue for hSF1 and ySF1, as well as U2AF65 and Mud2p, being functional homologues.