Patterns of intron sequence evolution in Drosophila are dependent upon length and GC content.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Introns comprise a large fraction of eukaryotic genomes, yet little is known about their functional significance. Regulatory elements have been mapped to some introns, though these are believed to account for only a small fraction of genome wide intronic DNA. No consistent patterns have emerged from studies that have investigated general levels of evolutionary constraint in introns.

Results

We examine the relationship between intron length and levels of evolutionary constraint by analyzing inter-specific divergence at 225 intron fragments in Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans, sampled from a broad distribution of intron lengths. We document a strongly negative correlation between intron length and divergence. Interestingly, we also find that divergenc

SUBMITTER: Haddrill PR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1273634 | biostudies-literature | 2005

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature