Question

How does alternative splicing of mRNA lead to different transcript variants?

A) mRNA splicing determines the choice between introns and exons, resulting in varied transcript variants that code for distinct proteins.
B) The presence of splicing enhancers and silencers influences the binding of specific proteins, generating diverse mRNA strands and proteins.
C) Alternative splicing is solely controlled by RNA structure, which dictates the selection of different transcript variants.
D) Different mRNA strands originate due to random binding events between proteins and the mRNA molecule during splicing.

Answer 1

Alternative splicing of mRNA leads to different transcript variants by removing introns and joining the remaining exons in different combinations, resulting in the production of multiple protein products from a single gene.

Step-by-step explanation:

Alternative splicing of mRNA leads to different transcript variants by removing introns (regions that do not code for proteins) and joining the remaining exons (regions that code for proteins) in different combinations. This process allows for the production of multiple protein products from a single gene.

For example, let's say a gene has exons 1, 2, 3, and 4. Alternative splicing can result in different combinations of these exons in the final mRNA transcript. The mRNA could be spliced to include only exons 1 and 2, or exons 2 and 3, or all four exons. Each splicing variant would produce a different protein product with distinct structure and function.

The choice of which exons to include or exclude in the final mRNA transcript is determined by different factors, such as the presence of splicing enhancers and silencers that influence the binding of specific proteins. These proteins interact with the mRNA molecule and help guide the splicing process to produce different transcript variants.