Introns
Introns
Introns (pronounced: /ˈɪn.trɒn/) are non-coding sections of an RNA molecule that are removed during the process of RNA splicing. The term "intron" is derived from the term "intragenic region", which means a region inside a gene.
Etymology
The term "intron" was coined by American biochemist Walter Gilbert in 1978. The word is a portmanteau of the terms "intragenic region" and "noncoding sequence". Intragenic means within a gene, while noncoding sequence refers to sequences of DNA that do not code for amino acids.
Function
Introns have several functions in the cell. They can influence the expression of genes, contribute to the diversity of proteins, and play a role in the evolution of genomes. Introns can also contain regulatory sequences that influence the activity of nearby genes.
Related Terms
- Exons: The coding regions of a gene that remain in the mature RNA after splicing has occurred.
- RNA splicing: The process by which introns are removed from the primary transcript of a gene.
- Gene expression: The process by which the information in a gene is used to produce a functional product, such as a protein.
- Regulatory sequences: Sequences of DNA that control the activity of genes.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Introns
- Wikipedia's article - Introns
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