# The splice of life: how alternative splicing shapes regulatory and phenotypic evolution

## TL;DR

This paper reviews how alternative splicing creates diversity in gene products and shapes evolution across species.

## Contribution

It synthesizes recent insights on how AS mechanisms drive functional and phenotypic evolution in multicellular organisms.

## Key findings

- AS generates lineage-specific transcriptomic and proteomic changes.
- Recent studies reveal how AS shapes phenotypic evolution in mammals.
- Technological advances are transforming our understanding of splicing evolution.

## Abstract

Alternative splicing (AS) is a key mechanism for generating regulatory and phenotypic diversity in multicellular eukaryotes. Large-scale comparative transcriptomic studies have revealed that AS leads to lineage-specific and tissue-specific transcriptomic and proteomic changes, underscoring its contribution to the evolution of gene products and functions. In this review, we highlight the patterns and mechanisms of AS evolution across species, exploring how technological advancements are transforming our understanding of splicing evolution. Furthermore, we discuss mechanistic and functional insights from recent studies, including groundbreaking discoveries on how AS has shaped phenotypic evolution in mammals.

How alternative splicing contributes to functional divergence and organismal evolution.