High-resolution mapping of function and protein binding in an RNA nuclear enrichment sequence.

The functions of long RNAs, including mRNAs and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), critically depend on their subcellular localization. The identity of the sequences that dictate subcellular localization and their high-resolution anatomy remain largely unknown. We used a suite of massively parallel RNA assays and libraries containing thousands of sequence variants to pinpoint the functional features within the SIRLOIN element, which dictates nuclear enrichment through hnRNPK recruitment. In addition, we profiled the endogenous SIRLOIN RNA-nucleoprotein complex and identified the nuclear RNA-binding proteins SLTM and SNRNP70 as novel SIRLOIN binders. Taken together, using massively parallel assays, we identified the features that dictate binding of hnRNPK, SLTM, and SNRNP70 to SIRLOIN and found that these factors are jointly required for SIRLOIN activity. Our study thus provides a roadmap for high-throughput dissection of functional sequence elements in long RNAs.