Identification of novel splicing variants from RON proto-oncogene pre-mRNA.

RON is a proto-oncogene that induces cell dissociation, migration and matrix invasion. RON∆160, a splicing variant of RON, is a natural splicing product in colon cancers that is produced through skipping of exons 5 and 6 in alternative splicing process. RON∆160 promotes cellular transformation in vitro and tumor formation in vivo. We present, here, two novel splicing variants of RON in the partial splicing events that involve exons 5 and 6. The common facts of these two novel splicing variants are that exons 4-7 are included. In addition, intron 4 is spliced whereas intron 5 is included in both variants. The difference of these two isoforms is the inclusion or skipping of intron 6. In one variant intron 6 is included, but intron 6 is skipped in another variant. These two variants should be truncated but these proteins have not yet been detected.