title: mRNA splicing in trypanosomes.
abstract: The parasitic unicellular trypanosomatids are responsible for several fatal diseases in humans and livestock. Regarding their biochemistry and molecular biology, they possess a multitude of special features such as polycistronic transcription of protein-coding genes. The resulting long primary transcripts need to be processed by coupled trans-splicing and polyadenylation reactions, thereby generating mature mRNAs. Catalyzed by a large ribonucleoprotein complex termed the spliceosome, trans-splicing attaches a 39-nucleotide leader sequence, which is derived from the Spliced Leader (SL) RNA, to each protein-coding gene. Recent genome-wide studies demonstrated that alternative trans-splicing increases mRNA and protein diversity in these organisms. In this mini-review we give an overview of the current state of research on trans-splicing.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biochemistry, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 58, D-35392 Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Preußer
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jaé
authors.forename: Albrecht
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bindereif
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D026723:Polyadenylation; D011485:Protein Binding; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020871:RNA Stability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016053:RNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020038:RNA, Spliced Leader / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D017381:Spliceosomes / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020040:Trans-Splicing; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016053:RNA, Protozoan; D020038:RNA, Spliced Leader; D017411:Ribonucleoproteins, Small Nuclear