title: A general model for the evolution of nuclear pre-mRNA introns.
abstract: We present an overview of the evolution of eukaryotic split gene structure and pre-mRNA splicing mechanisms. We have drawn together several seemingly conflicting ideas and we show that they can all be incorporated in a single unified theory of intron evolution. The resulting model is consistent with the notion that introns, as a class, are very ancient, having originated in the "RNA world"; it also supports the concept that introns may have played a crucial role in the construction of many eukaryotic genes and it accommodates the idea that introns are related to mobile insertion elements. Our conclusion is that introns could have a profound effect on the course of eukaryotic gene evolution, but that the origin and maintenance of intron sequences depends, largely, on natural selection acting on the intron sequences themselves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hickey
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Benkel
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Abukashawa
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells / Q000166:cytology; D005091:Exons; D007438:Introns; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012322:RNA Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger