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Multiple Choice
What process enables several different proteins to be produced from one gene?
A
DNA replication
B
Alternative splicing
C
RNA interference
D
Protein folding
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that genes are segments of DNA that contain instructions for building proteins. The process of going from a gene to a protein involves transcription and translation.
During transcription, a gene is copied into messenger RNA (mRNA). This mRNA is initially produced as a precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) which contains both exons (coding regions) and introns (non-coding regions).
Alternative splicing is a process that occurs during the maturation of pre-mRNA. It allows for the removal of introns and the joining of exons in different combinations.
By splicing the exons in various ways, a single gene can produce multiple mRNA variants, each of which can be translated into different protein isoforms. This increases the diversity of proteins that a single gene can produce.
Alternative splicing is a key mechanism in eukaryotic cells that contributes to protein diversity without the need for additional genes, allowing organisms to adapt and evolve with a limited number of genes.