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Science 30 June 2006:
Vol. 312. no. 5782, p. 1844
DOI: 10.1126/science.312.5782.1844k
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Most eukaryotic RNAs contain noncoding sequences (introns) that must be removed by messenger RNA (mRNA) splicing. The content of the mRNA can also be modified by alternative splicing where some coding sequences (exons) are removed. The signals (splice sites) in the RNA that mark the boundaries between introns and exons are short and degenerate, which raises the possibility that they could be misidentified by the splicing machinery and gross errors introduced into mRNA. Mendes Soares et al. (p. 1961; see the Perspective by Kress and Guthrie) now show that the protein DEK, previously implicated in autoimmunity and cancer, functions as part of a proofreading device for recognition of consensus 3′-AG splice sites by U2 auxiliary factor (U2AF). Phosphorylation of DEK promotes its binding to the U2AF35 subunit of U2AF, and this interaction minimizes the incorrect recognition of nonconsensus 3′-CG splice sites.




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