The fragmented gene.
While once almost synonymous, there is an increasing gap between the expanding definition of what constitutes a gene and the conservative and narrowly defined terms code or coding, which for a long time, almost exclusively constituted the open reading frame. Much confusion results from this disparity, especially in light of the plethora of noncoding RNAs (more correctly termed "non-protein-coding RNAs") that usually are encoded and transcribed by their own genes. A simple solution would be to adopt Ed Trifonov's less constrained definition of a code as any sequence pattern that can have a biological function. Such consideration favors not only a more complex view of the gene as an entity composed of many more or less conserved subgenic modules, but also a concept of modular evolution of genes and entire genomes.
Institute of Experimental Pathology (ZMBE), University of Münster, Münster, Germany. RNA.world@uni-muenster.de
Jürgen
J
Brosius
D000818:Animals; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000378:metabolism*
D022661:RNA, Untranslated