Intron size and exon evolution in Drosophila.
We have found a negative correlation between evolutionary rate at the protein level (as measured by d(N)) and intron size in Drosophila. Although such a relation is expected if introns reduce Hill-Robertson interference within genes, it seems more likely to be explained by the higher abundance of cis-regulatory elements in introns (especially first introns) in genes under strong selective constraints.
Marais
Gabriel
G
Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Nouvellet
Pierre
P
Keightley
Peter D
PD
Charlesworth
Brian
B
D000818:Animals; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005091:Exons; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D007438:Introns; D009154:Mutation; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012641:Selection, Genetic
D011506:Proteins