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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...
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...
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: Modification of pre-mRNA Ends01:35

Pre-mRNA Processing: Modification of pre-mRNA Ends

In eukaryotic cells, transcripts made by RNA polymerase are modified and processed before exiting the nucleus. Unprocessed RNA is called precursor mRNA or pre-mRNA to distinguish it from mature mRNA.
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a cap to the 5' end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5' phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached (7-methyl guanosine). This 5' cap helps the cell...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 9, 2026

ACT1-CUP1 Assays Determine the Substrate-Specific Sensitivities of Spliceosomal Mutants in Budding Yeast
07:31

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

Published on: June 30, 2022

Lives that introns lead after splicing.

Jay R Hesselberth1

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical School, Aurora, CO, USA.

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. RNA
|July 25, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Spliced introns, once dismissed as

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • RNA Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Eukaryotic pre-messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) undergoes splicing, a process where introns are removed by the spliceosome to ligate exons for translation.
  • Spliced introns were historically considered non-functional 'junk' RNA destined for degradation.
  • Recent findings reveal that introns, due to their size and relaxed evolutionary constraints, can be repurposed for diverse biological functions post-splicing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the functional roles of spliced introns beyond their removal during gene expression.
  • To investigate the mechanisms and determinants of intron stability and their evasion of degradation pathways.
  • To understand the origins and mobility of eukaryotic introns and their potential impact on genome evolution.

Main Methods:

More Related Videos

Using the E1A Minigene Tool to Study mRNA Splicing Changes
10:25

Using the E1A Minigene Tool to Study mRNA Splicing Changes

Published on: April 22, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 9, 2026

ACT1-CUP1 Assays Determine the Substrate-Specific Sensitivities of Spliceosomal Mutants in Budding Yeast
07:31

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

Published on: June 30, 2022

Using the E1A Minigene Tool to Study mRNA Splicing Changes
10:25

Using the E1A Minigene Tool to Study mRNA Splicing Changes

Published on: April 22, 2021

  • Review of existing literature on intron biology and function.
  • Analysis of experimental and computational tools for identifying and studying stable intron products.
  • Discussion of the enzymatic pathways involved in intron turnover, including debranching endonuclease activity.

Main Results:

  • Spliced introns can serve as precursors for various small and long noncoding RNAs (e.g., snoRNAs, miRNAs, lncRNAs).
  • Some stable introns are exported to the cytoplasm, suggesting roles in translation.
  • Viral introns can accumulate and play roles in viral latency, while cellular introns can evade degradation pathways.
  • The mechanisms governing the stability and mobility of eukaryotic introns remain largely unknown.

Conclusions:

  • Spliced introns possess significant biological functions and are not merely 'junk' RNA.
  • Further research using advanced tools is needed to identify and characterize stable intron products.
  • Understanding the intron life cycle may provide insights into intron origins and their widespread presence in eukaryotic genomes.