Intein spread and extinction in evolution

Abstract

Inteins are selfish DNA elements found within coding regions. They are translated with their host protein, but then catalyze their own excision and the formation of a peptide bond between their flanking protein regions. Understanding what drives and selects inteins is relevant for assessing whether they have unidentified biological functions and whether they can invade and become established in new genes and organisms. Inteins are suggested to have been present and more common in the progenitors of eukaryotes and prokaryotes. In these cells, inteins had some beneficial function or had evolved from an unknown beneficial protein. Since then, this putative benefit has been lost and inteins are gradually becoming extinct. The proteins in which inteins are currently found are proposed to be proteins vital for the survival of the organism, where intein removal is most difficult.