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mRNA Splicing
N/A
25
Medical
Professional
09/03/2010

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Term
Constitutive splicing
Definition
Process where exons are ligated and introns are removed.
Term
RNA Splicing Mechanism
Definition
"A series of transesterification reactions (transfer of -OH groups, this is how splicesome actually catalyzes)" Lariat initiated by formation of A-G bond.
Term
Splicesome
Definition
Very large complex (more than 200 different proteins in it and have snRNAs and snurps)

Splice sites (regions where exons are ligated) are RECOGNIZED by snurps (small nuclear RiboNucleoprotein Particles) so snurps play a CRUCIAL role in defining what is an intron and what is an exon.

U1 snurp-binds the 5' site then the 3' site
U2-binds the branch site and forms part of the catalytic center.
Term
3' to 5' Splice Sites
Definition
nomenclature is different, front = 3' SS, back = 5' SS.
AGGU 5' Splice site
AGGA 3' Splice site
Term
Branch Point
Definition
Where adenosine base is located.
Transesterification reaction takes place here (A-G, lagate removal of structure--intron)

A particular Adenosine gets defined as a branch point (close to 3' branch site) IF IT IS ADJACENT TO A PYRIMIDINE TRACT.

20 nucleotides to pyrimidine tract which is 50 nucleotides to 3' splice site.
Term
Splicesome splicing
Definition
Boundaries are defined by splice sites.
U1 first binds to 5', U2 binds to branch site with U2 auxiliary factors (verify if A is the right one).
All other Snurps come in (U4, U5, and U6), these snurps define your 3' splice site and you will have removal of introns by transesterification process.
The result is a mature mRNA and lariat (removed intron). Spliceosome gets recycled.
Term
Pyrimidine Tract
Definition
Series of C & U bases, about 100 of them or so.
Term
Alternative Splicing (Overview)
Definition
1) Humans have about 25k genes in our genome but the number of proteins we have is more than 100k.
2) Genes are capable of coding for more than 1 protein by process of alternative splicing
3) Eukaryotic genomes codes through discontinuous coding sequences, exons, separated by non-coding sequences, or introns.

GOVERNED BY trans factors (protein)-affects where U1 binds and defines your selection. You get extended exons.

4) Alternative patterns of RNA splicing result from
*TWO POINTS TO REMEMBER*
a) tissue-specific adaptive
b) developmental
c) hormonal
controls mechanism.
*2ND POINT*
Faulty splicing can cause/contribute to disease.
Term
Alternative Splicing (More Specific)
Definition
Most introns require CIS elements comprising of
1) a conserved 5' splice site (AG GUpu) 2) a branch point (BP) sequence (CupuApy) followed by a polypyrimidine tract
3) a 3' splice site (pyAG puN)

Additional sequences exist in the pre-mRNA as auxiliary CIS-ELEMENTS that recruit TRANS-ACTING FACTORS to promote splicing.
*KEY WORD*
REGULATION of alternative splicing is often the result of dynamic antahonism between TRANS-acting PROTEINS binding to cis-ELEMENTS (mRNA sequence).
Term
Modes of Alternative RNA processing
Definition
Unspliced RNA-->
1) Selective Splicing (e.g.: exon 1&3&4 are ligated, exon 2 is skipped)
2) Exon Skipping (similar to selective skipping except SS skips invariably, we see SS in developmental, exon skipping is the result of environmental conditions--either OR).
3) Alternative 5' splice site (since splice sites are small, we can have 3-5 more splice sites downstream)
4) Alternate 3' splice site
5) Alternate poly(A) site (addition of extra A sites before all the exons are translates, sequence gets truncated prematurely)
Term
Cis-elements on pre-mRNA
Definition
Auxiliary CIS-elements can promote or repress splice site usage depending on location.
1) If it is present on the exon and enhances splicing, it's called ESEs (exonic splicing enhancers) or silencers (ESSs)
2) ISEs and ISSs

TRANS factors(proteins) interact with cis elements
Term
Examples of trans factors
Definition
(proteins)
1) SR Proteins (slicing enhancers), ENHANCE SPLICING OF EXON OR UTILIZATION OF ALTERNATIVE SITE.
2) heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) (silencer)
Term
SR proteins
Definition
Ser-Arg Domain. SR Proteins are TRANS-factors that bind to RNA on cis-element that regulate alternative splicing.
Usually Determines alternative splicing (whether to include an exon or not)
*HAVE TO REMEMBER IT HAS TWO DOMAINS*
-RNA BINDING DOMAIN (RBD) -NH3 end
-SERINE ARGININE DOMAIN (RS) -repeating Ser and Arg COOH end
-SERINES in RS domain are HIGHLY PHOSPHORYLATED (signaling cascade such as kinases that can ultimately phosphorylate/active your SR domain, will bind to cis element and enhance splicing)!!!--Ergo, splicing factors can also be regulated via signal transduction pathways
Term
PKCGamma
Definition
PKCGammaI-proapoptotic
PKCGammaVIII-anti-apoptotic
The latter has an addition of 93 bp due to an alternative splice site.
Term
Tissue-specific
Definition
Tropomyosin
Depending on type of tissue different exons are expressed.
Term
Developmental splicing
Definition
3A and 3B (Don't need to memorize) Depending on whether you are in the fetal or adult stage, you will either have inclusion or exclusion of that exon.
Term
Hormonal splicing
Definition
Example: Presence of insulin will produce one gene over another.
Term
Pre-mRNA alternative splicing and Disease
Definition
1)Mutations in the pre-mRNA causing NMD
2)Mutations in regulatory sequences-"cis-elements"
3)Exon usage
4)Introduction of cryptic 5' and 3' splice spites (due to insertion, addition, deletion, etc)
5)SR protein levels and phosphorylation states (signal transduction)
Term
B-Thalassemia (do not need to memorize)
Definition
Mutation of BP that produces a stop codon, a shift that causes premature splicing
Term
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)
Definition
degeneration of alpha motonuerons in the brainstem and spinal cord as a RESULT of mutation in cis-element. C->T Base change encodes for SMN2 instead of SMN1. Base change on SMN2 exon corresponds to SF2/ASF binding site (we have change of ESE and introduction of ESS hnRNP site).
Term
Exon Usage
Definition
1)Frontotemporal dementia (FTDP)
2)Glucose uptake in skeletal musckle regulated by PKC (protein kinase C) isozyme
One exon is perptually skipped. Change of ratio of 3R instead of 4R is the underlying cause of FTDP.
Term
Introduction of cryptic 5' or 3' splice site
Definition
Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) -- growth retardation and premature aging.
Mutations causing HGPS have been identified in LMNA gene because of a mutation that INTRODUCES A ADDITIONAL 5' SPLICE SITE. Resulting protein is called PROGERIN which acts in a dominant fashion to generate HGPS phenotype.
Term
SR protein levels and phosphorylation states
Definition
Fibronectin gene (ECM glycoprotein).
Increased levels of 9GB (an ESE) altered splicing patterns.
Term
Mutations affecting multiple functions of splicing
Definition
BRCA-1 (Breast cancer gene 1)
Expression of BRCA is reduced or undetectable in carcinomas because of an inherited mutations that disrupts ESE binding-SF2/ASF.
Term
Aberrant splicing caused by disease states
Definition
1) Diabetes and various cancer can cause altered expression of a large number of SR proteins
2) You can have silent mutation until an external stimulus activates it-growth factors etc changes in disease states.
3) Atherosclerosis influences several genes in metabolism
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