Alternative splicing in concert with protein intrinsic disorder enables increased functional diversity in multicellular organisms.

ABSTRACT: Alternative splicing of pre-mRNA generates two or more protein isoforms from a single gene, thereby contributing to protein diversity. Despite intensive efforts, an understanding of the protein structure-function implications of alternative splicing is still lacking. Intrinsic disorder, which is a lack of equilibrium 3D structure under physiological conditions, may provide this understanding. Intrinsic disorder is a common phenomenon, particularly in multicellular eukaryotes, and is responsible for important protein functions including regulation and signaling. We hypothesize that polypeptide segments affected by alternative splicing are most often intrinsically disordered such that alternative splicing enables functional and regulatory diversity while avoiding structural complications. We

SUBMITTER: Romero PR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1482503 | biostudies-literature | 2006 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature