Chromatin's thread to alternative splicing regulation

Intron removal (pre-mRNA splicing) is a necessary step for expression of most genes in higher eukaryotes. Alternative splice site selection is a prevalent mechanism that diversifies genome outputs and offers ample opportunities for gene regulation in these organisms. Pre-mRNA splicing occurs co-transcriptionally and is influenced by features in chromatin structure, including nucleosome density and epigenetic modifications. We review here the molecular mechanisms by which the reciprocal interplay between chromatin and RNA processing can contribute to alternative splicing regulation.