title: Intervening sequences exhibit distinct vocabulary.
abstract: Little is known about the origin and function of eukaryotic introns. Application of a novel linguistic approach to the analysis of intervening sequences reveals, however, that they exhibit a specific non-random vocabulary whose major feature is the utilization of mirror-symmetrical words ("mirrorrim"). Introns also manifest a significant tendency to avoid local complementarities. Possible biological implications of the corresponding loop regions in the RNA transcripts are discussed.
authors: Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, Agricultural Research Organization, Bet Dagan, Israel.
authors: J S
authors: JS
authors: Beckmann
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Brendel
authors: E N
authors: EN
authors: Trifonov
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D012313:RNA
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA