Abstract
Alternative splicing of RNA is a fundamental post-transcriptional regulatory process that leads to a vast diversity of proteins being translated from a relatively small number of genomic loci. Microexons, a set of very small protein-coding sequences of 1-17 amino acids, have only recently been recognised as an important part of pre-mRNA processing. Recent studies have revealed that microexons can play important roles in various cellular functions, protein-protein interactions and have also been associated with various neurological diseases. This review provides an update on research covering the functional impact of microexons on the biology of a cell and disease, and the mechanisms by which their splicing is regulated. Finally, the current bioinformatics methods for detecting microexons are discussed.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.