A protein of the YTH family has been shown to selectively remove transcripts of meiosis-specific genes expressed in mitotic cells [3]. It has been speculated that in higher eukaryotic YTH-family members may be involved in similar mechanisms to suppress gene regulation during gametogenesis or general silencing. The rat protein Swiss:Q9QY02 YT521-B is a tyrosine-phosphorylated nuclear protein, that interacts with the nuclear transcriptosomal component scaffold attachment factor B, and the 68-kDa Src substrate associated during mitosis, Sam68. In vivo splicing assays demonstrated that YT521-B modulates alternative splice site selection in a concentration-dependent manner [1]. The YTH domain has been identified as part of the PUA superfamily [4].

1: The interaction and colocalization of Sam68 with the splicing- associated factor YT521-B in nuclear dots is regulated by the Src family kinase p59fyn. Hartmann AM, Nayler O, Schwaiger FW, Obermeier A, Stamm S; Mol Biol Cell 1999;10:3909-3926. PMID:10564280

2: YTH: a new domain in nuclear proteins. Stoilov P, Rafalska I, Stamm S; Trends Biochem Sci 2002;27:495-497. PMID:12368078

3: Selective elimination of messenger RNA prevents an incidence of untimely meiosis. Harigaya Y, Tanaka H, Yamanaka S, Tanaka K, Watanabe Y, Tsutsumi C, Chikashige Y, Hiraoka Y, Yamashita A, Yamamoto M; Nature. 2006;442:45-50. PMID:16823445

4: Structural genomics reveals EVE as a new ASCH/PUA-related domain. Bertonati C, Punta M, Fischer M, Yachdav G, Forouhar F, Zhou W, Kuzin AP, Seetharaman J, Abashidze M, Ramelot TA, Kennedy MA, Cort JR, Belachew A, Hunt JF, Tong L, Montelione GT, Rost B; Proteins. 2009;75:760-773. PMID:19191354