The U1 small nuclear RNA enhances drought tolerance in Arabidopsis

Abstract Alternative splicing (AS) is an important posttranscriptional regulatory mechanism that improves plant tolerance to drought stress by modulating gene expression and generating proteome diversity. The interaction between the 5′ end of U1 small nuclear RNA (U1 snRNA) and the conserved 5′ splice site of precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) is pivotal for U1 snRNP involvement in AS. However, the roles of U1 snRNA in drought stress responses remain unclear. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of AtU1 snRNA in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), revealing its high conservation at the 5′ end and a distinctive four-leaf clover structure. AtU1 snRNA is localized in the nucleus and expressed in various tissues, with prominent expression in young floral buds, flowers, and siliques. The overexpression of AtU1 snRNA confers enhanced abiotic stress tolerance, as evidenced in seedlings by longer seedling primary root length, increased fresh weight, and a higher greening rate compared with the wild-type. Mature AtU1 snRNA overexpressor plants exhibit higher survival rates and lower water loss rates under drought stress, accompanied by a significant decrease in H2O2 and an increase in proline. This study also provides evidence of altered expression levels of drought-related genes in AtU1 snRNA overexpressor or genome-edited lines, reinforcing the crucial role of AtU1 snRNA in drought stress responses. Furthermore, the overexpression of AtU1 snRNA influences the splicing of downstream target genes, with a notable impact on SPEECHLESS (SPCH), a gene associated with stomatal development, potentially explaining the observed decrease in stomatal aperture and density. These findings elucidate the critical role of U1 snRNA as an AS regulator in enhancing drought stress tolerance in plants, contributing to a deeper understanding of the AS pathway in drought tolerance and increasing awareness of the molecular network governing drought tolerance in plants.