A Proposed Model of Alternative Splicing of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 8 Underlying Mechanisms of Heart Failure Secondary To Hypertension.

The Mediator complex and its associated proteins are integral in the enhancer-driven gene expression with previous literature investigating the potential connections between disrupted Mediator complex function and neurological, cardiovascular, and developmental disease states.

Another well-understood mechanism regulating eukaryotic protein expression is alternative splicing of mRNA transcripts, generating protein diversity from a single gene. Alternative splicing is thought to contribute to cellular differentiation and developmental processes and is associated with human disease and cancer. Therefore, the discovery of alternative splicing events in critical genes within essential complexes, like the Mediator complex, may grant better understanding of human disease, and thus lead to better treatments and health outcomes.