Transcriptome survey reveals increased complexity of the alternative splicing landscape in Arabidopsis

Alternative splicing (AS) is a key regulatory mechanism that contributes to transcriptome and proteome diversity. As very few genome-wide studies analyzing AS in plants are available, we have performed high-throughput sequencing of a normalized cDNA library which resulted in a high coverage transcriptome map of Arabidopsis. We detect ∼150,000 splice junctions derived mostly from typical plant introns, including an eightfold increase in the number of U12 introns (2069). Around 61% of multiexonic genes are alternatively spliced under normal growth conditions. Moreover, we provide experimental validation of 540 AS transcripts (from 256 genes coding for important regulatory factors) using high-resolution RT-PCR…

• SG
  Scottish Government
• AS
  Austrian Science Fund

  Awards: DK W1207, W1207
• DF
  Directorate for Biological Sciences
• BA
  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

  Awards: BB/G024979/1, BB/G024979/1