Alternative splicing of pre-mRNA is a major mechanism to increase protein diversity in higher eukaryotes. Dscam, the Drosophila homologue of human DSCAM (Down's syndrome cell adhesion molecule), generates up to 38016 isoforms through mutually exclusive splicing in four variable exon clusters. This enormous molecular diversity is functionally important for wiring of the nervous system and phagocytosis of invading pathogens. Current models explaining this complex splicing regulation include a default repressed state of the variable exon clusters to prevent the splicing together of adjacent exons, the presence of RNA secondary structures important for the release of one specific variable exon from the repressed state and combinatorial interaction of RNA-binding proteins for choosing a specific exon.
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August 2012
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Conference Article|
July 20 2012
Mechanisms of Drosophila Dscam mutually exclusive splicing regulation
Yash Hemani;
Yash Hemani
1School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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Matthias Soller
Matthias Soller
1
1School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (emailm.soller@bham.ac.uk).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
March 06 2012
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© The Authors Journal compilation © 2012 Biochemical Society
2012
Biochem Soc Trans (2012) 40 (4): 804–809.
Article history
Received:
March 06 2012
Citation
Yash Hemani, Matthias Soller; Mechanisms of Drosophila Dscam mutually exclusive splicing regulation. Biochem Soc Trans 1 August 2012; 40 (4): 804–809. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20120060
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