RNA Splicing

The central dogma of molecular biology posits that the genetic information encoded in DNA is transcribed into RNA and then translated into protein. RNA splicing is a process in eukaryotic gene expression where that genetic information is altered while in RNA form. In splicing, specific regions of the RNA transcript are cut out and the flanking sequences are pasted together. The process of splicing fundamentally changes the information content of the RNA transcript, which directly impacts translation of that genetic information into protein. Regulation of splicing therefore represents a critical step of gene expression.