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Related Concept Videos

RNA Splicing01:32

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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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Alternative RNA Splicing02:18

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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.
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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.
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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.
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In eukaryotic cells, nascent mRNA transcripts need to undergo many post-transcriptional modifications to reach the cell cytoplasm and translate into functional proteins. For a long time, transcription and pre-mRNA processing were considered two independent events that occur sequentially in the cell. However, it has now been well established that transcription and pre-mRNA processing are two simultaneous processes that are precisely regulated inside the cell.
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RNA processing: Fungal spliceosomes break the mold.

Tucker J Carrocci1, Aaron A Hoskins2

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA.

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Human cells use splicing factors to remove introns from RNA. A new study shows that spliceosomes, the molecular machines responsible for this process, are remarkably similar across diverse fungal species and humans.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Splicing is a critical process in gene expression, involving the removal of introns from precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA).
  • This process is carried out by a large and dynamic molecular machine called the spliceosome.
  • The spliceosome is composed of small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and numerous proteins, forming a complex structure essential for eukaryotic life.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary conservation of spliceosome structure and function across different eukaryotic lineages.
  • To compare the molecular machinery of RNA splicing in distantly related fungal species with that of human cells.
  • To understand the fundamental principles of spliceosome assembly and catalysis through comparative analysis.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genomics and transcriptomics to identify splicing factors and their homologs in various fungal species.
  • Biochemical assays to analyze spliceosome assembly and activity in vitro.
  • Structural biology techniques to determine the architecture of fungal spliceosomes.

Main Results:

  • The study found that spliceosomes from a wide range of fungal species exhibit striking structural and functional similarities to human spliceosomes.
  • Key components and assembly intermediates of the spliceosome are highly conserved, suggesting a common evolutionary origin.
  • Despite evolutionary divergence, the core catalytic mechanism of splicing appears to be preserved.

Conclusions:

  • The findings highlight the deep evolutionary conservation of the spliceosome, a fundamental cellular machine.
  • This conservation underscores the essential role of RNA splicing in eukaryotic gene expression.
  • The study provides insights into the evolution of gene regulation and the potential for cross-species comparisons in molecular biology research.