Alternative splicing in regulating plant development and abiotic stress response

Alternative splicing (AS) represents a crucial post-transcriptional regulatory mechanism that enhances protein diversity by generating distinct transcripts from the same mRNA precursors. It is estimated that 60-70% of plant genes containing introns undergo AS events. The splicing complex, which comprises RNA-protein components such as the spliceosome, small nuclear RNAs, and ribonucleoproteins, is responsible for the excision of introns, the joining of exons, and the modulation of alternative 3' or 5' splicing sites. These splicing components play a vital role in fine-tuning mRNA processing, thereby ensuring normal plant growth and development, as well as facilitating rapid responses to environmental changes. This review aims to summarize recent advancements in the understanding of AS in plants, and to discuss the research challenges associated with the dynamic regulation of AS in the near future.