Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026

Using the E1A Minigene Tool to Study mRNA Splicing Changes
Published on: April 22, 2021
An RNA architectural locus control region involved in Dscam mutually exclusive splicing
Xuebin Wang1, Guoli Li, Yun Yang
1Institute of Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University (Zijingang Campus), Hangzhou, Zhejiang ZJ310058, China.
Abstract:
The most striking example of alternative splicing in a Drosophila melanogaster gene is observed in the Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule, which can generate 38,016 different isoforms. RNA secondary structures are thought to direct the mutually exclusive splicing of Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here we describe a locus control region that can activate the exon 6 cluster and specifically allow for the selection of only one exon variant in combination with docking site selector sequence interactions. Combining comparative genomic studies of 63 species with mutational analysis reveals that intricate, tandem multi-'subunit' RNA structures within the locus control region activate species-appropriate alternative variants. Importantly, strengthening the weak splice sites of the target exon can remove the locus control region dependence. Our findings not only provide a locus control region-dependent mechanism for mutually exclusive splicing, but also suggest a model for the evolution of increased complexity in a long-range RNA molecular machine.
Related Concept Videos
RNA Splicing
RNA Splicing
Alternative RNA Splicing
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
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 Splicing
Chromatin Structure and RNA Splicing
The chromatin structure, especially...

