Protein splicing: self-splicing of genetically mobile elements at the protein level

Abstract

Protein splicing is a newly discovered process that is the protein equivalent of RNA splicing. Protein splicing proceeds through a branched protein intermediate, and in vitro studies indicate that the reaction is autocatalytic. The excised 'intein' proteins are site-specific DNA endonucleases that catalyse genetic mobility of their DNA coding sequence by an 'intein homing' mechanism.