The process by which the primary RNA transcript from a gene is processed differently to yield several mRNA species. Specifically, a gene is normally transcribed into RNA containing both exon and intron sequences; the introns are then removed, leaving only the coding exon regions. During alternative splicing, some exons are skipped over and removed together with the introns. Since many exons code for a module of protein, alternative splicing leads to the generation of several related proteins from a single gene. Alternative splicing may be tissue or disease specific.
Various ways of splicing out introns in eukaryotic pre-mRNAs resulting in one gene producing several different mRNAs and protein products.
Splicing is a post-transcriptional modification that occurs in messenger RNA (mRNA), the template that is used to create a protein from a gene. Splicing refers to the enzymatic cutting of mRNA at specific recognition sites between exons (DNA segments needed to code for proteins) and introns (DNA not used to make proteins). Splicing removes the RNA that will not be used in the translation of a protein. The pieces left are joined together by the splicing machinery and introduced into the translation machinery that creates proteins. mRNA can have numerous splice recognition sites, and alternative splicing occurs when the splicing machinery excises material from different splice sites in the mRNA strand. When these alternatively spliced mRNAs are translated, the proteins produced are related, but have sequence variations. Mutations that affect protein function and stability can sometimes be attributed to mutations in splice recognition sites. See also Translation.
Refers to fact that certain genes retain or omit particular exons in the final spliced transcript.
The production of two or more mRNA molecules from a single pre-mRNA sequence by using different acceptor and donor sites.
A regulatory mechanism by which variations in the incorporation of a gene's exons, or coding regions, into messenger RNA lead to the production of more than one related protein, or isoform.
The processing of an RNA transcript into different mRNA molecules by including some exons and excluding others.
The process by which different mRNAs are produced from the same primary transcript, through variations in the splicing pattern of the transcript. Multiple mRNA "isoforms" can be produced in a single cell or the different isoforms can display different tissue-specific patterns of expression. If the alternative exons fall within the open reading frames of the mRNA isoforms, different proteins will be produced by the alternative mRNAs.
One of the alternate combinations of a folded protein that are possible due to recombination of multiple gene segments during mRNA splicing that occurs in higher organisms.
Different ways of combining a gene's exons to make variants of the complete protein
Alternative splicing is the process that occurs in eukaryotes in which the splicing process of a pre-m RNA transcribed from one gene can lead to different mature m RNA molecules and therefore to different proteins.Viruses have also adapted to this biochemical process when using the protein biosynthesis apparatus.