Alternative RNA processing events as a critical developmental regulatory strategy in neuroendocrine gene expression

Alternative RNA processing events, consequential to alternative poly(A) site selection, represent the critical developmental strategy dictating the tissue-specific pattern of the polypeptide product production in calcitonin gene expression. The consequence of these events is the production of an mRNA encoding the precursor of a novel neuropeptide, referred to as CGRP, in the brain and an mRNA encoding the precursor to calcitonin in the thyroidal C cells. A trans-acting mechanism appears to adjudicate the critical choice of poly(A) site. It is suggested that this type of RNA processing regulation is a commonly used mechanism, of particular importance in expression of genes modulating neural developmental events.