Spliceosome
Spliceosome
Spliceosome (/ˈspaɪsəˌsoʊm/) is a large and complex molecular machine found primarily within the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. The spliceosome is assembled from small nuclear RNAs (snRNA) and approximately 80 proteins. The function of the spliceosome is to remove introns from a transcribed pre-mRNA segment, a process generally known as splicing.
Etymology
The term "spliceosome" is derived from the words "splice" and "some". "Splice" refers to the process of joining or connecting, while "some" is a common suffix in biology that refers to a body or structure. Thus, "spliceosome" refers to the structure that performs the splicing of pre-mRNA.
Function
The primary function of the spliceosome is to remove introns from a transcribed pre-mRNA segment. This process, known as splicing, is essential for the correct translation of the genetic code into proteins. The spliceosome recognizes the splice sites at the ends of an intron, brings them together, and cuts the intron out and joins the two exons together.
Components
The spliceosome is composed of five small nuclear RNAs (snRNA) and approximately 80 proteins. The snRNAs are named U1, U2, U4, U5, and U6, and they form complexes with the proteins to create small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), which are the functional components of the spliceosome.
Related Terms
- Intron: A segment of a DNA or RNA molecule that does not code for proteins and interrupts the sequence of genes.
- Exon: A segment of a DNA or RNA molecule containing information coding for a protein or peptide sequence.
- snRNA: Small nuclear RNAs (snRNA) are a class of small RNA molecules that are found within the nucleus of eukaryotic cells. They are involved in various aspects of RNA biogenesis including splicing of pre-mRNA.
- snRNP: Small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) are complexes of proteins and snRNA that play a vital role in RNA biogenesis.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Spliceosome
- Wikipedia's article - Spliceosome
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