A difficult phase for introns-early. Molecular evolution.
Close analysis of intron phase - the position of introns within codons - is claimed to provide novel evidence supporting the view that introns predate the divergence of bacteria and eukaryotes and, via 'exon shuffling', played a crucial role in protein evolution. But just how compelling is this evidence?
Hurst
L D
LD
Department of Genetics, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK.
McVean
G T
GT
D000818:Animals; D003062:Codon; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D013045:Species Specificity
D003062:Codon