The Function of Poly (U) Binding Splicing Factor 60 (PUF60) in Disease Regulation

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Alternative splicing (AS) of pre-mRNA is crucial for proteome diversity and gene function regulation.
• Aberrant splicing is implicated in various human diseases, including cancers, neurological disorders, and infections.
• The PUF60 protein plays key roles in RNA splicing and gene transcription, interacting with U2AF65 to promote splicing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the structural characteristics, splicing mutants, and disease-related functions of PUF60.
• To explore PUF60 as a potential therapeutic target for human diseases, particularly cancers.
• To discuss targeted PUF60 inhibitors and current research limitations.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on PUF60 structure, function, and disease associations.
• Analysis of PUF60's role in alternative splicing and gene regulation.
• Examination of PUF60's overexpression in cancer cells and its importance in development.

Main Results:

• PUF60 exhibits significant overexpression in many cancer cells and is essential for embryonic development.
• PUF60's interaction with U2AF65 facilitates the splicing of introns with weak splice sites.
• Evidence suggests PUF60 is a potential therapeutic target for various diseases, including cancers and infections.

Conclusions:

• PUF60 is a critical protein in RNA splicing with significant implications in human diseases.
• Targeting PUF60 presents a promising therapeutic strategy for cancers and other conditions.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate PUF60's mechanisms and therapeutic potential.