Differential Expression of Splicing Factor Gene by Estrogen Receptor Activation Factor.

The functional role of estrogen receptor activation factor (E-RAF), a 66 kDa protein in mediating the biological actions of estrogen and progesterone in goat uterus, has been highlighted in this work. Here we report that E-RAF stimulates the expression of splicing factor gene, arginine/serine rich in goat uterine nuclei (GenBank Accession No. MT473439). cDNA subtractive hybridization method using nuclear run-on transcription assay was used to identify the differentially expressed genes. The upregulation of the splicing factor gene was demonstrated further using a PCR-based nuclear run-on transcription system. Confocal microscopic analysis has confirmed the endoplasmic reticulum as the primary site of intracellular location of E-RAF. The effect of estrogen and progesterone on the intracellular distribution of E-RAF and the molecular mechanisms that underlie the transport of E-RAF to nucleus in the presence of progesterone has been studied. Our results offer a new perspective in steroid hormone action in uterus.