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Putative alternative trans ‐splicing of leukocyte adhesion‐GPCR pre‐mRNAs generates functional chimeric receptors
Author(s) -
Chiu Pei-Ling,
Ng Boon Han,
Chang Gin-Wen,
Gordon Siamon,
Lin Hsi-Hsien
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2008.02.004
Subject(s) - alternative splicing , receptor , g protein coupled receptor , subfamily , gene isoform , biology , trans splicing , exon , rna splicing , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , genetics , rna
The EGF‐TM7 receptors, a subfamily of adhesion‐GPCRs mostly restricted to leukocytes, are known to express multiple functional protein isoforms through extensive alternative cis ‐splicing. Here, we demonstrate that EGF‐TM7 pre‐mRNAs also undergo the rare trans ‐splicing, leading to the generation of functional chimeric receptors. RT‐PCR and in silico analyses of EMR2 transcripts identified unique fragments containing the EGF‐like motif 3 of a closely related EGF‐TM7 gene, CD97, in addition to the alternative cis ‐spliced products. The sequence swapping is restricted to the EGF‐3 exon, generating unique EMR2(1‐2‐3 ∗ ‐5) and EMR2(1‐2‐3 ∗ ‐4‐5) molecules, which are functional in ligand‐binding as the wild‐type EMR2(1‐2‐3‐4‐5) and CD97(1‐2‐3‐4‐5) receptors. Our results suggest that human leukocytes employ trans ‐splicing as well as cis ‐splicing to increase the repertoire of functional adhesion‐GPCRs.