Differences in alternative splicing and their potential underlying factors between animals and plants

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genetics
• Plant Science
• Animal Science

Background:

• Alternative splicing (AS) is a crucial posttranscriptional process generating transcript diversity in eukaryotes.
• AS dysregulation is linked to diseases like cancer in animals and stress responses in plants.
• While AS roles are known in animals and plants, comparative reviews on mechanisms and differences are scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive understanding of alternative splicing (AS) in biological processes across eukaryotes.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms and factors driving AS differences between animals and plants.
• To compare AS regulation, including nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), and discuss future implications.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of alternative splicing (AS) mechanisms in animals and plants.
• Review of factors influencing AS, including genomic architecture, splicing factors, and environmental stimuli.
• Examination of nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathways in both kingdoms.

Main Results:

• AS contributes significantly to genetic and phenotypic diversity in both animals and plants.
• Differences in AS processes are influenced by exon/intron structure, UTRs, spliceosome components, chromatin dynamics, transcription speed, splicing factors (SR proteins, hnRNPs), noncoding RNAs, and environmental cues.
• Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathways exhibit variations between animals and plants in handling premature termination codons (PTCs).

Conclusions:

• Understanding AS differences between animals and plants is crucial for advancing biological knowledge.
• Comparative AS insights can inform the development of novel disease therapies and improved crop varieties.
• Further research into AS mechanisms will unlock potential applications in medicine and agriculture.