Splicing is controlled by a large protein complex known as the spliceosome. Clicking on each of the thumbnail
images will bring up a larger, labeled version of the described
scene.
To
see the Flash movie for the following sequence of images,
click here.
The spliceosome is built in several stages. First, one of the proteins from the complex binds near the GU sequence.
The growing protein complex then brings the 5' GU end of the intron to the pyrimidine-rich region, folding the 5' end of the intron over itself.
Here we see the spliceosome fully assembled. Several more proteins have joined to make the mature complex.
Once fully assembled, the splicesome undergoes a conformational change.