The importance of alternative splicing in adaptive evolution

Singh, Pooja; Ahi, Ehsan Pashay (2022). The importance of alternative splicing in adaptive evolution. Molecular Ecology, 31(7), pp. 1928-1938. Wiley-Blackwell 10.1111/mec.16377

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Although alternative splicing is a ubiquitous co-transcriptional
gene regulatory mechanism
in plants, animals and fungi, its contribution to evolutionary transitions is understudied.
Alternative splicing enables different mRNA isoforms to be generated from
the same gene, expanding transcriptomic and thus proteomic diversity. While the role
of gene expression variation in adaptive evolution is widely accepted, biologists still
debate the functional impact of alternative isoforms on phenotype. In light of recent
empirical research linking splice variation to ecological adaptations, we propose that
alternative splicing is an important substrate for adaptive evolution and speciation,
particularly at short timescales. In this article we synthesise what is known about
the role of alternative splicing in adaptive evolution. We discuss the contribution of
standing splice variation to phenotypic plasticity and how hybridisation can produce
novel splice forms. Going forwards, we propose that alternative splicing be included
as a standard analysis alongside gene expression analysis so we can better understand
of how alternative splicing contributes to adaptive divergence at the micro-and
macroevolutionary
levels.

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