Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

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

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

Exon Recombination

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...

Gene Conversion

Gene Conversion

Other than maintaining genome stability via DNA repair, homologous recombination plays an important role in diversifying the genome. In fact, the recombination of sequences forms the molecular basis of genomic evolution. Random and non-random permutations of genomic sequences create a library of new amalgamated sequences. These newly formed genomes can determine the fitness and survival of cells. In bacteria, homologous and non-homologous types of recombination lead to the evolution of new...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Co-occurrence of resistance and virulence plasmids in a bla<sub>NDM-5</sub>-positive Escherichia coli ST602 clone across One Health sectors in China.

Journal of hazardous materials·2026

Same author

Letter regarding unravelling the genomic landscape of Canadian <i>Borrelia burgdorferi</i>: a comparison across global strains; Piot <i>et al</i>. Microbial Genomics 2026;12:001606.

Microbial genomics·2026

Same author

Nuclear genome profiling of two species of <i>Epidendrum</i> (Orchidaceae): genome size, repeatome, and ploidy.

NAR genomics and bioinformatics·2026

Same author

Capsular specificity in temperate phages of Klebsiella pneumoniae is driven by diverse receptor-binding enzymes.

PLoS biology·2026

Same author

A model of polymicrobial catheter-associated urinary tract infection reveals biofilm-mediated modulation of treatment efficacy.

Journal of applied microbiology·2026

Same author

sfr-miR-10465-5p and sfr-miR-10476-5p modulate chlorantraniliprole susceptibility through CYP450 gene regulation in Spodoptera frugiperda.

Insect science·2026

Same journal

Segmentally Duplicated Regulatory Elements Undergo Human-Specific Rewiring.

Molecular biology and evolution·2026

Same journal

The life history of recessive deleterious alleles as seen through the eyes of a honey bee (Apis mellifera).

Molecular biology and evolution·2026

Same journal

Severe bottleneck of ancient Homo populations: Insights from computational modeling and relevant fossil evidence.

Molecular biology and evolution·2026

Same journal

Population Epigenetics: Deciphering DNA Methylation Diversity and its Implications for Health, Disease, and Evolution.

Molecular biology and evolution·2026

Same journal

Genomic signature of repeated transitions to diurnality in spiders.

Molecular biology and evolution·2026

Same journal

Phylogenomic blind spots: The limits of UCE and BUSCO loci in the presence of gene flow.

Molecular biology and evolution·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 7, 2026

Engineering Artificial Factors to Specifically Manipulate Alternative Splicing in Human Cells

Engineering Artificial Factors to Specifically Manipulate Alternative Splicing in Human Cells

Published on: April 26, 2017

Alternative Splice in Alternative Lice.

Jaime M Tovar-Corona¹, Atahualpa Castillo-Morales¹, Lu Chen²

¹Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom Milner Centre, University of Bath, Bath, UK.

Molecular Biology and Evolution

|July 15, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Alternative splicing (AS) differences were found between head and body lice, with body lice showing stronger exon skipping and less intron retention. These transcriptomic variations offer insights into how lice adapted to new ecological niches.

Keywords:

alternative splicing body lice head lice human parasite phenotype evolution transcriptomics

More Related Videos

Using the E1A Minigene Tool to Study mRNA Splicing Changes

Using the E1A Minigene Tool to Study mRNA Splicing Changes

Published on: April 22, 2021

Detection of Alternative Splicing During Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Detection of Alternative Splicing During Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Published on: October 9, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 7, 2026

Engineering Artificial Factors to Specifically Manipulate Alternative Splicing in Human Cells

Engineering Artificial Factors to Specifically Manipulate Alternative Splicing in Human Cells

Published on: April 26, 2017

Using the E1A Minigene Tool to Study mRNA Splicing Changes

Using the E1A Minigene Tool to Study mRNA Splicing Changes

Published on: April 22, 2021

Detection of Alternative Splicing During Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Detection of Alternative Splicing During Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Published on: October 9, 2014

Area of Science:

Genomics
Transcriptomics
Evolutionary Biology

Background:

Human head and body lice are genetically similar but occupy distinct ecological niches.
Body lice, unlike head lice, are vectors for serious bacterial diseases like epidemic typhus.
Understanding molecular differences is key to explaining these distinct adaptations.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate alternative splicing (AS) differences between head and body lice.
To identify molecular bases for distinct ecological niches and vector competence.
To explore the role of AS in functional adaptation of human lice.

Main Methods:

Analysis of next-generation sequencing data from head and body louse strains.
Identification and comparison of alternative splicing events.
Functional enrichment analysis of genes with specific AS events.

Main Results:

Identified 3,598 head or body louse-specific AS events.
Exon skipping was overrepresented, and intron retention underrepresented, in both lice types, more so in body lice.
Genes with body louse-specific AS were enriched in nervous system, salivary gland, trachea, and ovarian functions.

Conclusions:

First evidence of transcript pool differences between human head and body lice.
AS plays a pivotal role in the molecular adaptation of lice, particularly in adapting to clothing.
Highlights AS as a mechanism driving functional divergence in closely related species.