Title |
Why eukaryotic cells use introns to enhance gene expression: Splicing reduces transcription-associated mutagenesis by inhibiting topoisomerase I cutting activity
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Published in |
Biology Direct, May 2011
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DOI | 10.1186/1745-6150-6-24 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Deng-Ke Niu, Yu-Fei Yang |
Abstract |
The costs and benefits of spliceosomal introns in eukaryotes have not been established. One recognized effect of intron splicing is its known enhancement of gene expression. However, the mechanism regulating such splicing-mediated expression enhancement has not been defined. Previous studies have shown that intron splicing is a time-consuming process, indicating that splicing may not reduce the time required for transcription and processing of spliced pre-mRNA molecules; rather, it might facilitate the later rounds of transcription. Because the densities of active RNA polymerase II on most genes are less than one molecule per gene, direct interactions between the splicing apparatus and transcriptional complexes (from the later rounds of transcription) are infrequent, and thus unlikely to account for splicing-mediated gene expression enhancement. |
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Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
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Researcher | 12 | 13% |
Professor | 6 | 6% |
Other | 16 | 17% |
Unknown | 10 | 10% |
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Chemistry | 2 | 2% |
Other | 4 | 4% |
Unknown | 11 | 11% |