title: Intron exclusion and the mystery of intron loss.
abstract: Mechanisms for loss and gain of introns are elusive. Reported here is a new pattern of intron loss which features a random loss of a single intron in a multiple-intron gene with its neighboring introns remained, which process is defined as intron exclusion. Intron exclusion is reminiscent of removal of a limited stretch of non-homologous sequence in a homologous recombination (HR) triggered by a double strand break (DSB), and therefore lends further evidence for a theory of intron loss through HR between a cDNA and its genomic intron-containing locus. Thus, a model for intron loss is formulated.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology Department, University of Pittsburgh, W1301, BST, 200 Lothrop Street, PA 15213, USA. hukejin@gmail.com
authors.forename: Kejin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D053903:DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; D017343:Genes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics*; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010944:Plants / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci / Q000235:genetics; D022821:RNA Splice Sites / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D022821:RNA Splice Sites; D000426:Alcohol Dehydrogenase