Question

Discuss the advantages, in terms of protein structure and evolution, that result from alternative mRNA splicing?

Short answer

The advantages that result from alternative mRNA splicing include the diversity of protein structures and the evolution of new characters.

Step-by-step solution

Introduction of alternative splicing:

Alternative RNA splicing is also known as differential splicing.This process produces variably spliced mRNAs by choosing different recombination splice sites within mRNA. It allows the passing of information of multiple proteins from a single gene. Additional sequences such as splicing enhancers and silencers can further regulate alternative splicing.

Advantages of alternate splicing:

1. In terms of protein structure:-Alternative splicing is regulated by the protein activity, formation of variably spliced mRNAs contributes to protein diversity. Splicomere is a protein complex that carries out splicing of mRNA performed by an RNA.

2. In terms of evolution: - The overall functioning of alternative splicing further increases the diversity of mRNA formed by the recombinants of variable mRNAs from the Genome. The alternative splicing provides multicellular organisms without an increase in the gene number. The different recombination selected to carry out alternative splicing leads to the evolution of new characters.

Example: -Drosophila down syndrome cell adhesion molecule.