Attenuation of the suppressive activity of cellular splicing factor SRSF3 by Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus ORF57 protein is required for RNA splicing

Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) ORF57 is a multifunctional post-transcriptional regulator essential for viral gene expression during KSHV lytic infection. ORF57 requires interactions with various cellular proteins for its function. Here, we identified serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 3 (SRSF3, formerly known as SRp20) as a cellular cofactor involved in ORF57-mediated splicing of KSHV K8 beta RNA. In the absence of ORF57, SRSF3 binds to a suboptimal K8 beta intron and inhibits K8 beta splicing. Knockdown of SRSF3 promotes K8 beta splicing, mimicking the effect of ORF57. The N-terminal half of ORF57 binds to the RNA recognition motif of SRSF3, which prevents SRSF3 from associating with the K8 beta intron RNA and therefore attenuates the suppressive effect of SRSF3 on K8 beta splicing. ORF57 also promotes splicing of heterologous non-KSHV transcripts that are negatively regulated by SRSF3, indicating that the effect of ORF57 on SRSF3 activity is independent of RNA target. SPEN proteins, previously identified as ORF57-interacting partners, suppress ORF57 splicing activity by displacing ORF57 from SRSF3-RNA complexes. In summary, we have identified modulation of SRSF3 activity as the molecular mechanism by which ORF57 promotes RNA splicing.