Alternative mRNA Splicing Controls the Functions of the Histone H3K27 Demethylase UTX/KDM6A

Simple Summary UTX/KDM6A is a histone H3K27 demethylase and plays an important role in mammalian development and human diseases such as urothelial cancer. We identified a region encompassing exons 12-17 of UTX that undergoes extensive splicing events. As a result, a nuclear localization sequence located in exon 14 is missing in a considerable portion of UTX transcripts in different cell lines and tissues from normal bladder epithelia and bladder cancer cases. Mass spectrometry analysis showed a role of this region in binding to the epigenetic PR-DUB and MiDAC complexes. UTX was also more extensively bound to chromatin when the alternative splicing region was presented. Our study showed that the alternative splicing of UTX transcripts plays an important role in its functions. The UTX/KDM6A histone H3K27 demethylase plays an important role in development and is frequently mutated in cancers such as urothelial cancer. Despite many studies on UTX proteins, variations in mRNA splicing have been overlooked. Using Nanopore sequencing, we present a comprehensive analysis of UTX/KDM6A splicing events in human cell lines and in tissue samples from bladder cancer cases and normal epithelia. We found that the central region of UTX mRNAs encoded by exons 12 to 17 undergoes extensive alternative splicing. Up to half of all stable mRNAs (8-48% in bladder tissues and 18-58% in cell lines) are represented by the UTX canonical isoform lacking exon 14 encoding a nuclear localization sequence, and hence exon 14-containing UTX isoforms exclusively localize to the nucleus, unlike the cytonuclear localization of the canonical isoform. Chromatin association was also higher for exon-14-containing isoforms compared to the canonical UTX. Using quantitative mass spectrometry, we found that all UTX isoforms integrated into the MLL3 and MLL4, PR-DUB and MiDAC complexes. Interestingly, one of the novel UTX isoforms, which lacks exons 14 and 16, fails to interact with PR-DUB and MiDAC complex members. In conclusion, UTX mRNAs undergo extensive alternative splicing, which controls the subcellular localization of UTX and its interactions with other chromatin regulatory complexes.

Automated summary

Alternative splicing of UTX transcripts plays a crucial role in its function, with the absence of exon 14 resulting in the inability of UTX transcripts to localize to the nucleus and lesser interactions with other chromatin regulatory complexes.