What do spliceosomes do?

Spliceosomes play a central role in controlling how genes are expressed in cells. By removing introns and joining exons, spliceosomes help ensure that the mature mRNA molecules contain only the coding sequences necessary for protein synthesis. Alternative splicing allows for the production of multiple protein isoforms from a single gene. Thus, alternative splicing of pre-mRNA in mammalian cells boosts genetic diversity since it creates multiple protein variations from a single gene. This flexibility allows cells to modify protein functions as needed. In the mammalian immune system, alternative splicing is frequently utilized to regulate the growth and function of lymphocytes specific to antigens. Lastly, spliceosomes play a role in maintaining cellular homeostasis by modulating the abundance and diversity of mRNA transcripts produced from different genes.