Lecture 15 Flashcards
Self-splicing introns:
RNA-catalysed reactions compared to spliceosomal-based
Linear intron (group 1):
- eg) protozoan rRNA genes
- these are not covalently closed
Lariate introns (group 2):
- eg) some mitochondrial genes
- Generates a lariate
- Doesn’t require a snurp for splicing
Two theories of intron evolution:
- Introns evolved and proliferate early, but are being lost in some genes over time
- Introns evolved late and are proliferating, increasing in number
Comparison of intron positions in related genes in closely related species shows
- Conservation of introns in amidase genes of Aspergillus species
- A conserved intron is observed in almost all species, so there is evidence of the introns slowly being lost over time
- Single introns between species provide evidence for introns arising in sequences.
Intron evolution:
- An intron present in the cell that has been excised is reinserted into the DNA by reserve splicing, reverse transcription and recombination.
- Introns can also be lost from sequences
Intron sliding:
- Change in intron position
- An intron is spliced out, then reinserted into a different location of the gene. It has the same sequence but moves around at a slower rate
Are introns conserved?
- Intron sequences are often not conserved in sequence or length
- Intron sequences can show regions of conservation, and then we would expect some function such as a conserved regulatory site or an unsuspected coding region eg) In Drosophila, the Adh locus has another gene
Introns may code for snoRNA:
- Small nucleolar RNA that modify target RNAs, including tRNA
- Transcribed by RNAPIII
- Modify bases in rRNA and tRNA
Presumably RNA involved first then DNA evolved as it is more stable and complex. RNA is matured:
- pre-mRNA that is spliced to produce mature mRNA
- pre-rRNA is cleaved to produce a mature rRNA
- pre-tRNA is cleave to produce mature tRNA
Alternative splicing:
- Splicing of different introns and exons
- Different cell types
- Different functions
- The same DNA strip can create different products by splicing together different parts of the gene
Example of alternative splicing: SV40, simian virus 40, T antigen gene encodes two proteins (T and t)
- T: viral growth
- t: Stops cell apoptosis, so promotes viral proliferation
- From the same gene but are different splice forms and have different functions
Example of alternative splicing: Drosophila DSCAM:
- Down Syndrome Cell Adhesion Molecule
- 24 alternatively spliced exons
- 38, 016 combinations of mature mRNAs
- Can do more with the genes that you have, don’t necessarily need lots and lots of genes
Transcript splicing, repression:
- This process must be controlled
- The spliceosomal complex can’t see the splice site due to a protein present in some cells blocking the splice site
Transcript splicing activation:
- Splicing doesn’t usually happen
- The splicosomal complex doesn’t usually recognise the splice site
- A different cell type expressing an activator may recruit the splicing machinery to the splice site
