Molecular and genetic dissection of recursive splicing Journal Article


Authors: Joseph, B.; Scala, C.; Kondo, S.; Lai, E. C.
Article Title: Molecular and genetic dissection of recursive splicing
Abstract: Intronic ratchet points (RPs) are abundant within long introns in the Drosophila genome and consist of juxtaposed splice acceptor and splice donor (SD) sites. Although they appear to encompass zero nucleotide exons, we recently clarified that intronic recursive splicing (RS) requires a cryptic exon at the RP (an RS-exon), which is subsequently always skipped and thus absent from mRNA. In addition, Drosophila encodes a smaller set of expressed exons bearing features of RS. Here, we investigate mechanisms that regulate the choice between RP and RS-exon SDs. First, analysis of Drosophila RP SD mutants demonstrates that SD competition suppresses inclusion of cryptic exons in endogenous contexts. Second, characterization of RS-exon reporters implicates exonic sequences as influencing choice of RS-exon usage. Using RS-exon swap and mutagenesis assays, we show exonic sequences can determine RS-exon inclusion. Finally, we provide evidence that splicing can suppress utilization of RP SDs to enable RS-exon expression. Overall, multiple factors can influence splicing of Drosophila RS-exons, which usually result in their complete suppression as zero-nucleotide RPs, but occasionally yield translated RS-exons.
Keywords: intron; drosophila; transcriptome; expression; identification; mechanisms; definition; exon junction complex
Journal Title: Life Science Alliance
Volume: 5
Issue: 1
ISSN: 2575-1077
Publisher: Rockefeller University Press  
Date Published: 2022-01-01
Start Page: e202101063
Language: English
ACCESSION: WOS:000718892400001
DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202101063
PROVIDER: wos
PMCID: PMC8605326
PUBMED: 34759052
Notes: Article -- Source: Wos
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  1. Eric C Lai
    159 Lai
  2. Brian Jude Joseph
    9 Joseph
  3. Chaz Mariella Scala
    1 Scala