In this review I focus on the role of splicing in long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) life. First, I summarize differences between the splicing efficiency of protein-coding genes and lncRNAs and discuss why non-coding RNAs are spliced less efficiently. In the second half of the review, I speculate why splice sites are the most conserved sequences in lncRNAs and what additional roles could splicing play in lncRNA metabolism. I discuss the hypothesis that the splicing machinery can, besides its dominant role in intron removal and exon joining, protect cells from undesired transcripts.

Keywords:
large intervening non-coding RNA, snRNP, spliceosomes, splicing, SR proteins
Subjects:
Gene Expression & Regulation, RNA
© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2021
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