Introns: Good Day Junk Is Bad Day Treasure

Publication date: Available online 25 October 2019Source: Trends in GeneticsAuthor(s): Julie Parenteau, Sherif Abou ElelaIntrons are ubiquitous in eukaryotic transcripts. They are often viewed as junk RNA but the huge energetic burden of transcribing, removing, and degrading them suggests a significant evolutionary advantage. Ostensibly, an intron functions within the host pre-mRNA to regulate its splicing, transport, and degradation. However, recent studies have revealed an entirely new class of trans-acting functions where the presence of intronic RNA in the cell impacts the expression of other genes in trans. Here, we review possible new mechanisms of intron functions, with a focus on the role of yeast introns in regulating the cell growth response to starvation.

Source: Trends in Genetics - October 26, 2019 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research