Implications of chimaeric non-co-linear transcripts.
Deep sequencing of 'transcriptomes'--the collection of all RNA transcripts produced at a given time--from worms to humans reveals that some transcripts are composed of sequence segments that are not co-linear, with pieces of sequence coming from distant regions of DNA, even different chromosomes. Some of these 'chimaeric' transcripts are formed by genetic rearrangements, but others arise during post-transcriptional events. The 'trans-splicing' process in lower eukaryotes is well understood, but events in higher eukaryotes are not. The existence of such chimaeric RNAs has far-reaching implications for the potential information content of genomes and the way it is arranged.
Gingeras
Thomas R
TR
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA. gingeras@cshl.edu
D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020040:Trans-Splicing / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D012333:RNA, Messenger