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RNA Splicing

RNA Splicing

Splicing is the process by which eukaryotic RNA is edited before its translation into protein. The RNA strand transcribed from eukaryotic DNA is called the primary transcript. The primary transcripts that become mRNAs are called precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs). Eukaryotic pre-mRNA contains alternating sequences of exons and introns. Exons are nucleotide sequences that code for proteins, whereas introns are the non-coding regions. In RNA splicing, introns are removed and exons are bonded...

RNA Splicing

RNA Splicing

Splicing is the process by which eukaryotic RNA is edited before its translation into protein. The RNA strand transcribed from eukaryotic DNA is called the primary transcript. The primary transcripts that become mRNAs are called precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs). Eukaryotic pre-mRNA contains alternating sequences of exons and introns. Exons are nucleotide sequences that code for proteins, whereas introns are the non-coding regions. In RNA splicing, introns are removed and exons are bonded...

Alternative RNA Splicing

Alternative RNA Splicing

Alternative RNA splicing is the regulated splicing of exons and introns to produce different mature mRNAs from a single pre-mRNA. Unlike in constitutive splicing where a single gene produces a single type of mRNA, alternative splicing allows an organism to produce multiple proteins from a single gene and plays an important role in protein diversity.
There are five types of alternative RNA splicing that vary in the ways the pre-mRNA segments are removed or retained in the mature mRNA. The first...

Alternative RNA Splicing

Alternative RNA Splicing

Alternative RNA splicing is the regulated splicing of exons and introns to produce different mature mRNAs from a single pre-mRNA. Unlike in constitutive splicing where a single gene produces a single type of mRNA, alternative splicing allows an organism to produce multiple proteins from a single gene and plays an important role in protein diversity.
There are five types of alternative RNA splicing that vary in the ways the pre-mRNA segments are removed or retained in the mature mRNA. The first...

What is Gene Expression?

What is Gene Expression?

A gene is a stretch of DNA that serves as the blueprint for functional RNAs and proteins. Since DNA is comprised of nucleotides and proteins are comprised of amino acids, a mediator is required to convert the information encoded in DNA into proteins. This mediator is the messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA copies the blueprint from DNA by a process called transcription. In eukaryotes, transcription occurs in the nucleus by complementary base-pairing with the DNA template. The mRNA is then processed and...

Pre-mRNA Processing: RNA Splicing

Pre-mRNA Processing: RNA Splicing

Splicing is the process by which eukaryotic RNA is edited before its translation into protein. The RNA strand transcribed from eukaryotic DNA is called the primary transcript. The primary transcripts that become mRNAs are called precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs). Eukaryotic pre-mRNA contains alternating sequences of exons and introns. Exons are nucleotide sequences that code for proteins, whereas introns are the non-coding regions. In RNA splicing, introns are removed and exons are bonded...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 28, 2026

Identification of Alternative Splicing and Polyadenylation in RNA-seq Data

Identification of Alternative Splicing and Polyadenylation in RNA-seq Data

Published on: June 24, 2021

Width of gene expression profile drives alternative splicing.

Daniel Wegmann¹, Isabelle Dupanloup, Laurent Excoffier

¹Computational and Molecular Population Genetics Laboratory, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

|November 1, 2008

Summary

Alternative splicing drives organismal complexity. This study reveals that genes with polymorphic splicing are less common on sex chromosomes, suggesting tissue-specific expression aids alternative splicing evolution.

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Identification of Alternative Splicing and Polyadenylation in RNA-seq Data

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Published on: June 24, 2021

Using RNA-sequencing to Detect Novel Splice Variants Related to Drug Resistance in In Vitro Cancer Models

Using RNA-sequencing to Detect Novel Splice Variants Related to Drug Resistance in In Vitro Cancer Models

Published on: December 9, 2016

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Evolutionary Biology
Genomics

Background:

Alternative splicing is a key mechanism generating proteomic diversity in metazoans, contributing to cellular complexity.
Research has primarily focused on the mechanisms and incidence of alternative splicing, with less attention to its population-level maintenance and evolution.
Understanding the evolutionary dynamics of alternative splicing is crucial for comprehending eukaryotic complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the evolutionary maintenance and characteristics of alternative splicing within populations.
To compare genes with monomorphic splicing (MS) and polymorphic splicing (PS) based on structural, functional, and transcriptional profiles.
To explore the role of gene expression breadth and tissue specificity in the evolution of alternative splicing.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of gene structures, functional annotations, and transcriptional profiles between MS and PS genes.
Examination of gene distribution across chromosomes, with a specific focus on sex chromosomes.
Development and application of a simple evolutionary model for cis-regulated alternative splicing.

Main Results:

MS and PS genes exhibit significant differences in expression breadth, with PS genes showing reduced expression across fewer tissues and cell types.
A notable deficit of PS genes was observed on sex chromosomes, particularly the Y chromosome, independent of lower gene expression breadth on this chromosome.
The evolutionary model accurately predicted observations regarding the distribution and maintenance of alternative splicing.

Conclusions:

Tissue-specific expression of splicing variants favors the emergence and maintenance of cis-regulated alternative splicing.
The breadth of a gene's expression profile is critical for acquiring new transcript isoforms.
These new isoforms may be subsequently maintained through a novel form of balancing selection.