Sf3b4 regulates chromatin remodeler splicing and Hox expression

SF3B proteins form a heptameric complex in the U2 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein, essential for pre-mRNA splicing. Heterozygous pathogenic variants in human SF3B4 are associated with head, face, limb, and vertebrae defects. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, we generated mice with constitutive heterozygous deletion of Sf3b4 and showed that mutant embryos have abnormal vertebral development. Vertebrae abnormalities were accompanied by changes in levels and expression pattern of Hox genes in the somites. RNA sequencing analysis of whole embryos and somites of Sf3b4 mutant and control litter mates revealed increased expression of other Sf3b4 genes. However, the mutants exhibited few differentially expressed genes and a large number of transcripts with differential splicing events (DSE), predominantly increased exon skipping and intron retention. Transcripts with increased DSE included several genes involved in chromatin remodeling that are known to regulate Hox expression. Our study confirms that Sf3b4 is required for normal vertebrae development and shows, for the first time, that like Sf3b1, Sf3b4 also regulates Hox expression. We propose that abnormal splicing of chromatin remodelers is primarily responsible for vertebral defects found in Sf3b4 heterozygous mutant embryos.