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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

Pre-mRNA Processing: RNA Splicing

Pre-mRNA Processing: RNA Splicing

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

The Upf proteins that carry out nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) are found in all eukaryotic organisms, including humans. Each protein has an individual role, but they need to work in collaboration. Upf1 is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that unwinds the RNA helix. Because Upf1 can unwind any RNA, Upf2 and Upf3 are required to help Upf1 discriminate between nonsense and normal mRNAs.
Usually, Upf3 binds to an Exon Junction Complex (EJC) at mRNA splice sites. If a ribosome fully translates the mRNA,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 17, 2026

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

Cytoplasmic Drosha activity generated by alternative splicing.

Lisheng Dai¹, Kevin Chen¹, Brenda Youngren¹

¹Gene Regulation and Chromosome Biology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.

Nucleic Acids Research

|July 30, 2016

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Cytoplasmic Drosha (c-Drosha) activity was discovered, challenging the nuclear-centric view of microRNA maturation. This novel isoform, generated by alternative splicing, has implications for gene regulation and cancer.

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Last Updated: Mar 17, 2026

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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

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Gene Regulation
RNA Processing

Background:

The Microprocessor complex, comprising RNase III enzyme Drosha and DGCR8, initiates microRNA (miRNA) maturation in the nucleus.
The precise cellular localization and full functional spectrum of Drosha have remained incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the functional localization of Drosha within the cell.
To identify novel Drosha isoforms and elucidate their roles in miRNA biogenesis and gene regulation.

Main Methods:

Utilized Drosha and DGCR8 knockout (KO) cells and cleavage reporter assays.
Investigated the processing of in vitro generated pri-miRNAs transfected into cells.
Identified and characterized novel Drosha isoforms using HEK293T and HeLa cell lines.

Main Results:

Demonstrated effective pri-miRNA cleavage by a truncated Drosha mutant in the cytoplasm, indicating cytoplasmic Drosha (c-Drosha) activity.
Identified two novel Drosha isoforms, one lacking a nuclear localization signal, leading to c-Drosha.
Found c-Drosha to be abundant, variable across tissues, and upregulated in tumors, suggesting a significant role in gene regulation.

Conclusions:

Revealed a previously unrecognized cytoplasmic function for Drosha in miRNA processing.
Established the existence and significance of a c-Drosha isoform generated by alternative splicing.
Highlighted a new regulatory layer in the miRNA pathway with potential implications for understanding Drosha's diverse functions and roles in disease.