[Campbell Biology P.1010] The "MAKE CONNECTIONS" box asks how alternative splicing and V and ... | Practice Question
The "MAKE CONNECTIONS" box asks how alternative splicing and V and J segment recombination differ. Which of the following statements correctly identifies a key difference?
A: V and J recombination creates diversity by rearranging RNA segments, while alternative splicing rearranges DNA segments.
B: V and J recombination permanently alters the genomic DNA, whereas alternative splicing processes pre-mRNA to produce different mRNA molecules from the same gene.
C: Both processes occur at the RNA level, but V and J recombination involves cutting and pasting, while alternative splicing only involves differential exon inclusion.
D: Alternative splicing is specific to B cells, while V and J recombination occurs in all cell types.
Explanation
V and J recombination involves permanent alteration of genomic DNA in B and T cells to create diverse antigen receptors. Alternative splicing, however, is a post-transcriptional process that produces different mRNA molecules and thus different proteins from a single pre-mRNA transcript without altering the DNA sequence.