Emerging functions of alternative splicing coupled with nonsense-mediated decay

作者：Hamid Fursham M; Makeyev Eugene V^*

来源：Biochemical Society Transactions, 2014, 42(4): 1168-1173.

DOI：10.1042/BST20140066

• AS-NMD
• development
• physiological response
• post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression
• RNA metabolism

Higher eukaryotes rely on AS (alternative splicing) of pre-mRNAs (mRNA precursors) to generate more than one protein product from a single gene and to regulate mRNA stability and translational activity. An important example of the latter function involves an interplay between AS and NMD (nonsense-mediated decay), a cytoplasmic quality control mechanism eliminating mRNAs containing PTCs (premature translation termination codons). Although originally identified as an error surveillance process, AS-NMD additionally provides an efficient strategy for deterministic regulation of gene expression outputs. In this review, we discuss recently published examples of AS-NMD and delineate functional contexts where recurrent use of this mechanism orchestrates expression of important genes.

• 出版日期2014-8