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Related Concept Videos

RNA Splicing01:32

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 Splicing01:32

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...
Exon Recombination02:32

Exon Recombination

The evolution of new genes is critical for speciation. Exon recombination, also known as exon shuffling or domain shuffling, is an important means of new gene formation. It is observed across vertebrates, invertebrates, and in some plants such as potatoes and sunflowers. During exon recombination, exons from the same or different genes recombine and produce new exon-intron combinations, which might evolve into new genes. 
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon has three reading...
Alternative RNA Splicing02:18

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 Splicing02:18

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...
Pre-mRNA Processing: RNA Splicing01:32

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 16, 2026

ACT1-CUP1 Assays Determine the Substrate-Specific Sensitivities of Spliceosomal Mutants in Budding Yeast
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ACT1-CUP1 Assays Determine the Substrate-Specific Sensitivities of Spliceosomal Mutants in Budding Yeast

Published on: June 30, 2022

Evolutionary dynamics of U12-type spliceosomal introns.

Chiao-Feng Lin1, Stephen M Mount, Artur Jarmołowski

  • 1Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany.

BMC Evolutionary Biology
|February 19, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The minor U12 spliceosome pathway, crucial for removing specific introns, is remarkably stable in vertebrates, though complete loss has occurred repeatedly in other lineages. Intron loss is more common than type conversion, with new non-canonical dinucleotides discovered.

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A Reporter Based Cellular Assay for Monitoring Splicing Efficiency
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A Reporter Based Cellular Assay for Monitoring Splicing Efficiency

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Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

ACT1-CUP1 Assays Determine the Substrate-Specific Sensitivities of Spliceosomal Mutants in Budding Yeast
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ACT1-CUP1 Assays Determine the Substrate-Specific Sensitivities of Spliceosomal Mutants in Budding Yeast

Published on: June 30, 2022

A Reporter Based Cellular Assay for Monitoring Splicing Efficiency
08:53

A Reporter Based Cellular Assay for Monitoring Splicing Efficiency

Published on: September 15, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Multicellular eukaryotes utilize two spliceosomes: the major (U2) and minor (U12).
  • The U12 spliceosome processes rare U12-type introns, which have distinct sequences and are often found with U2-type introns.
  • Phylogenetic analysis indicates the minor splicing pathway emerged early in eukaryotic evolution and has been lost multiple times.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary dynamics of U12-type introns across metazoan genomes.
  • To analyze intron gain, loss, and type switching events in U12-type introns.
  • To identify novel sequence variations in U12-type introns.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genomics analysis of U12-type intron clusters across eighteen metazoan genomes.
  • Phylogenetic analysis of intron gain, loss, and type switching events.
  • Identification and characterization of U12-type introns with non-canonical terminal dinucleotides.

Main Results:

  • Intron type is highly conserved among vertebrates, with rare instances of intron loss or U12/U2 type conversion.
  • In Drosophila melanogaster, one case of U2 to U12-type intron conversion was observed, potentially due to cryptic splice site activation.
  • Loss of U12-type introns is more frequent than conversion to U2-type, and U12 to U2 conversion is more common in GT-AG than AT-AC subtypes.
  • Natural U12-type introns with non-canonical terminal dinucleotides (CT-AC, GG-AG, GA-AG) were identified.

Conclusions:

  • Despite repeated complete loss of the U12 spliceosome, U12 introns exhibit high stability in certain taxa like eutheria.
  • Intron loss or gene loss is more prevalent than U12 to U2 type conversion.
  • Natural U12-type introns display greater terminal dinucleotide degeneracy than previously recognized.