Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • NEWS AND VIEWS

A clue to the catalytic activation of splicing

The processing of messenger RNA during splicing requires the activity of a complex of RNAs and proteins termed the spliceosome. Structural data shed light on previously mysterious aspects of splicing in humans.
  1. Soo-Chen Cheng

    1. Soo-Chen Cheng is at the Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei City 115, Taiwan.

    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed  Google Scholar

Most genes in eukaryotic organisms (those such as plants, animals and fungi, with cells that have a nucleus) are interrupted by non-coding sequences called introns, which need to be removed from the corresponding RNA molecule by a process called splicing. Writing in Nature, Schmitzova et al.1 provide insights into an important step needed for splicing to occur.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Nature 617, 680-681 (2023)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-01528-6

References

  1. Schmitzova, J., Cretu, C., Dienemann, C., Urlaub, H. & Pena, V. Nature 617, 842–850 (2023).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Wilkinson, M. E., Charenton, C. & Nagai, K. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 89, 359–388 (2020).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Liu, Y.-C. & Cheng, S.-C. J. Biomed. Sci. 22, 54 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. De, I. et al. Nature Struct. Mol. Biol. 22, 138–144 (2015).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Yan, C., Wan, R., Bai, R. & Shi, Y. Science 353, 904–911 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Liu, H.-L. & Cheng, S.-C. Mol. Cell. Biol. 32, 5056–5066 (2012).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Schwer, B. Mol. Cell 30, 743–754 (2008).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Semlow, D. R., Blanco, M. R., Walter, N. G. & Staley, J. P. Cell 164, 985–998 (2016).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Bai, R. et al. Science 371, eabe8863 (2021).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Chung, C.-S. et al. Nucleic Acids Res. 47, 899–910 (2019).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Competing Interests

The author declares no competing interests.

Subjects

Latest on:

Nature Careers

Jobs

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing

Search

Advanced search

Quick links