Mechanisms and regulation of spliceosome-mediated pre-mRNA splicing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract

Pre-mRNA splicing, the removal of introns and ligation of flanking exons, is a crucial step in eukaryotic gene expression. The spliceosome, a macromolecular complex made up of five small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) and dozens of proteins, assembles on introns via a complex pathway before catalyzing the two transesterification reactions necessary for splicing. All of these steps have the potential to be highly regulated to ensure correct mRNA isoform production for proper cellular function. While Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) has a limited set of intron-containing genes, many of these genes are highly expressed, resulting in a large number of transcripts in a cell being spliced. As a result, splicing regulation is of critical importance for yeast. Just as in humans, yeast splicing can be influenced by protein components of the splicing machinery, structures and properties of the pre-mRNA itself, or by the action of trans-acting factors. It is likely that further analysis of the mechanisms and pathways of splicing regulation in yeast can reveal general principles applicable to other eukaryotes. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > Splicing Mechanisms RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.