An Alternative Splicing Event Amplifies Evolutionary Differences Between Vertebrates

ABSTRACT: Alternative splicing (AS) generates extensive transcriptomic and proteomic complexity. However, the functions of species- and lineage-specific splice variants are largely unknown. Here, we show that mammalian-specific skipping of exon 9 of PTBP1 alters its splicing regulatory activities and affects the inclusion levels of numerous exons. During neurogenesis, skipping of exon 9 reduces PTBP1 repressive activity so as to facilitate activation of a brain-specific AS program. Engineered skipping of the orthologous exon in chicken cells induces a large number of mammalian-like AS changes in PTBP1 target exons. These results thus reveal that a single exon skipping event in an RNA binding regulator directs numerous AS changes between species. The results further suggest that these changes contrib

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

SUBMITTER: Serge Gueroussov 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-69656 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress