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Figure 3 | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Figure 3

From: Alternative splicing: an important mechanism for myometrial gene regulation that can be manipulated to target specific genes associated with preterm labour

Figure 3

Cartoon indicating the effect that changes in expression of splicing factors can have on the expression myometrial genes. Fluctuations in the levels, ratios and activity of myometrial nuclear splicing factors in pregnancy may influence the expression of substrate-specific pre-mRNAs and in turn influence and switch the expression and ratios of the specific protein isoforms that are generated. In theory, changes in the levels of splicing factors could generate a) proteins with enhanced activity; b) proteins with different functions; c) proteins with abolished functions and d) provide a means to regulate gene expression by increasing the rate of nonsense-mediated decay of affected mRNAs.

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