Introns and their positions affect the translational activity of mRNA in plant cells

In an attempt to further increase transgene expression levels in plants over and above the enhancement obtained with a 5′ untranslated leader intron, three different maize introns were inserted at three different positions within the coding sequence of the luciferase reporter gene. Constructs were t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:EMBO reports 2001-05, Vol.2 (5), p.394-398
Main Authors: Bourdon, Valérie, Harvey, Alison, Lonsdale, David M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Corn
Gene Expression Regulation, Plant
Genes, Reporter
Introns - genetics
Luciferases - genetics
Luciferases - metabolism
Plants, Genetically Modified
Plasmids - genetics
Plasmids - metabolism
Protein Biosynthesis
RNA Splicing - genetics
RNA, Messenger - genetics
RNA, Messenger - metabolism
RNA, Plant - genetics
RNA, Plant - metabolism
Scientific Report
Scientific Reports
Transgenes
Zea mays - cytology
Zea mays - genetics
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Summary:In an attempt to further increase transgene expression levels in plants over and above the enhancement obtained with a 5′ untranslated leader intron, three different maize introns were inserted at three different positions within the coding sequence of the luciferase reporter gene. Constructs were transformed into maize (Black Mexican Sweet) cells and protoplasts, and their activity determined. Although all introns tested were correctly spliced, only one of them in a particular position was able to enhance gene expression. Correct splicing sites were used for intron removal and the quantity of luciferase mRNA produced did not differ significantly. These data indicate that both the position and the sequence of an intron have marked effects on expression levels, suggesting that nuclear processing of the pre‐mRNA determines final expression levels through the structure of the mRNP.
ISSN:1469-221X
1469-3178
DOI:10.1093/embo-reports/kve090