Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Edgell DR
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3073962 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Edgell David R DR Chalamcharla Venkata R VR Belfort Marlene M
BMC biology 20110411
Group I and II introns can be considered as molecular parasites that interrupt protein-coding and structural RNA genes in all domains of life. They function as self-splicing ribozymes and thereby limit the phenotypic costs associated with disruption of a host gene while they act as mobile DNA elements to promote their spread within and between genomes. Once considered purely selfish DNA elements, they now seem, in the light of recent work on the molecular mechanisms regulating bacterial and phag ...[more]