Alu exonization events reveal features required for precise recognition of exons by the splicing machinery.

ABSTRACT: Despite decades of research, the question of how the mRNA splicing machinery precisely identifies short exonic islands within the vast intronic oceans remains to a large extent obscure. In this study, we analyzed Alu exonization events, aiming to understand the requirements for correct selection of exons. Comparison of exonizing Alus to their non-exonizing counterparts is informative because Alus in these two groups have retained high sequence similarity but are perceived differently by the splicing machinery. We identified and characterized numerous features used by the splicing machinery to discriminate between Alu exons and their non-exonizing counterparts. Of these, the most novel is secondary structure: Alu exons in general and their 5' splice sites (5'ss) in particular are characteri

SUBMITTER: Schwartz S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2639721 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature