A bioinformatics analysis of alternative exon usage in human genes coding for extracellular matrix proteins
“A bioinformatics analysis of alternative exon usage in human genes coding for extracellular matrix proteins”, vol. 3, pp. 532-544, 2004.
, Alternative splicing increases protein diversity through the generation of different mRNA molecules from the same gene. Although alternative splicing seems to be a widespread phenomenon in the human transcriptome, it is possible that different subgroups of genes present different patterns, related to their biological roles. Analysis of a subgroup may enhance common features of its members that would otherwise disappear amidst a heterogeneous population. Extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins are a good set for such analyses since they are structurally and functionally related.