What happens to mRNA during the splicing process?

During the splicing process of mRNA, introns—the non-coding regions—are removed from the pre-mRNA transcript, while exons—the coding regions—are joined together. This process is essential for the maturation of mRNA before it is translated into protein. The removal of introns ensures that only the sequences that code for proteins are present in the final mRNA product. The splicing is carried out by a complex called the spliceosome, which recognizes specific sequences at the intron-exon boundaries to accurately remove introns and connect exons, forming a continuous coding sequence that can be used for protein synthesis. This step significantly increases the efficiency and accuracy of gene expression.