Neuronal RNA processing: cross-talk between transcriptional regulation and RNA-binding proteins

In the nervous system, alternative RNA processing is particularly prevalent, which results in the expression of thousands of transcript variants found in no other tissue. Neuron-specific RNA-binding proteins co-transcriptionally regulate alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation, and RNA editing, thereby shaping the RNA identity of nervous system cells. Recent evidence suggests that interactions between RNA-binding proteins and cis-regulatory elements such as promoters and enhancers play a role in the determination of neuron-specific expression profiles. Here, we discuss possible mechanisms through which transcription and RNA processing cross-talk to generate the uniquely complex neuronal transcriptome, with a focus on alternative 3'-end formation.