Ali G S, Reddy A S N
Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2008;326:257-75. doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-76776-3_14.
A substantial fraction (approximately 30%) of plant genes is alternatively spliced, but how alternative splicing is regulated remains unknown. Many plant genes undergo alternative splicing in response to a variety of stresses. Large-scale computational analyses and experimental approaches focused on select genes are beginning to reveal that alternative splicing constitutes an integral part of gene regulation in stress responses. Based on the studies discussed in this chapter, it appears that alternative splicing generates transcriptome/proteome complexity that is likely to be important for stress adaptation. However, the signaling pathways that relay stress conditions to splicing machinery and if and how the alternative spliced products confer adaptive advantages to plants are poorly understood.
相当一部分（约30%）的植物基因存在可变剪接，但可变剪接是如何被调控的仍不清楚。许多植物基因会响应多种胁迫而发生可变剪接。针对特定基因的大规模计算分析和实验方法开始揭示，可变剪接是胁迫响应中基因调控的一个组成部分。基于本章所讨论的研究，似乎可变剪接产生了转录组/蛋白质组的复杂性，这可能对应激适应很重要。然而，将胁迫条件传递给剪接机制的信号通路，以及可变剪接产物是否以及如何赋予植物适应性优势，目前还知之甚少。
