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The mystery of RNA splicing: How does it affect our gene expression?
RNA splicing plays a vital role in the molecular biology of cells. This process can convert newly generated precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) into mature messenger RNA (mRNA) for gene expression. Pave the way. This process primarily involves removing introns (non-coding regions) from the RNA and re-splicing the coding regions (exons). For nuclear-encoded genes, RNA splicing usually occurs in the cell nucleus, possibly simultaneously with transcription.
RNA splicing not only affects how genes are expressed, but can also lead to the production of multiple proteins by creating different mRNA forms.
In recent years, scientists have conducted increasingly in-depth research on RNA splicing and discovered a variety of different splicing pathways. These splicing methods are closely related to the structure of introns and the type of catalyst required. In these processes, the spliceosome, a large RNA-protein complex composed of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), plays a core catalytic role in mRNA splicing.
Splicing Pathway
There are many different pathways for RNA splicing, which vary depending on the structure of the intron and the factors required for catalysis. Introns are segments of DNA located between the exons of a gene that need to be removed during RNA transcription in order to produce mRNA that can be translated into protein.
Most eukaryotic genes contain introns, which exist not only in protein-coding genes but also in ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and transfer RNA (tRNA).
Formation and Activities
The assembly and activity of the spliceosome usually occurs during the transcription of pre-mRNA. Splice sites and branch points within introns are critical for successful splicing. In addition, multiple other protein factors are required to assist in the assembly of the spliceosome. This process is called canonical splicing and accounts for more than 99% of splicing events.
Alternative Splicing
Alternative splicing is an important phenomenon in RNA splicing that allows the same mRNA to generate multiple unique proteins through different exon combinations. This process displays a high degree of regulation—specific exons may be included or skipped under specific tissue or cellular conditions. Studies have shown that approximately 95% of multi-exon genes undergo alternative splicing.
The evolution of RNA splicingAlternative splicing highlights a regulatory mechanism for genes that is not only involved in fundamental biological processes but also plays an important role in a variety of physiological and pathological states.
RNA splicing is thought to be ubiquitous in all three domains of life, but its form and extent may vary between organisms. The protein-coding messenger RNA and some non-coding RNA of eukaryotes are frequently spliced, while prokaryotes undergo less splicing and mainly focus on non-coding RNA.
It is worth noting that splicing errors are related to a variety of genetic diseases, which has led the scientific community to pay more and more attention to the study of RNA splicing. Experimental techniques to alter splicing events have been proposed and show promise as therapeutic approaches, particularly in the treatment of genetic diseases caused by splicing defects.
Response to DNA damage
DNA damage can affect the splicing process by changing the post-translational modification, orientation and expression of splicing factors, thereby affecting the gene expression of the cell. The study also found that DNA damage also changes the alternative splicing patterns of genes related to DNA repair.
Splicing factors in NUCleus such as nuclear speckles play a key role in this process, specifically helping to regulate the accessibility of genes to splicing factors.
Compared to other biological groups, the diversity of RNA splicing makes gene expression more flexible and adaptable. Changes in splicing enable rapid cellular adaptation when overcoming environmental challenges.
The discovery and understanding of UNKOPERA has important implications for future gene therapy and related research: Do we understand all the factors that affect RNA splicing, or are there more mysteries yet to be explored?
