Co-transcriptional splicing regulation in FLC mediated by AtCDC5 and AtSYF2 regulates plant flowering

Co-transcriptional splicing plays a crucial role in eukaryotic gene expression. However, its specific effects on growth, development, and stress responses in animals and plants are still not fully understood. In this study, we screen for a pair of transcription factor and splicing factor interactions (AtCDC5 and AtSYF2) and find that AtCDC5 and AtSYF2, as splicing factors, can jointly regulate the co-transcriptional splicing of FLC, thereby affecting plant flowering time. Both proteins can bind to FLC pre-mRNA and participate in splicing while also influencing Pol II recruitment and R-loop formation. Additionally, the N terminus of AtCDC5 can bind to the promoter of FLC and act as a transcription factor to induce its expression. Mutant and complementary line analyses confirm the function of these factors as negative regulators of flowering time. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of co-transcriptional splicing in plant growth and development.