Abstract
Alternative splicing in genes associated with neuromuscular junction (NMJ) often compromises neuromuscular signal transmission and provokes pathological consequences. Muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) is an essential molecule in the NMJ. MUSK exon 10 encodes an important part of the frizzled-like cysteine-rich domain, which is necessary for Wnt-mediated acetylcholine receptors clustering at NMJ. MUSK exon 10 is alternatively spliced in humans but not in mice. We reported that humans acquired a unique exonic splicing silencer in exon 10 compared to mice, which promotes exon skipping coordinated by hnRNP C, YB-1, and hnRNP L. Here, we have dissected the underlying mechanisms of exon inclusion. We precisely characterized the exonic splicing enhancer (ESE) elements and determined the functional motifs. We demonstrated that SRSF6 and SRSF1 coordinately enhance exon inclusion through multiple functional motifs in the ESE. Remarkably, SRSF6 exerts a stronger effect than SRSF1, and SRSF6 alone can compensate the function of SRSF1. Interestingly, differentiated muscle reduces the expression of splicing suppressors, rather than enhancers, to generate a functional Wnt-sensitive MuSK isoform to promote neuromuscular signal transmission. Finally, we developed splice-switching antisense oligonucleotides, which could be used to selectively modulate the expression of MUSK isoforms toward a beneficial outcome for therapeutic intervention.