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Chapter 18: Problem 7

Intron frequency varies considerably among eukaryotes. Provide a general comparison of intron frequencies in yeast and humans. What about intron size?

Short Answer

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Question: Compare the general intron frequencies and intron sizes in yeast and humans. Answer: Yeast has a lower intron frequency and smaller intron sizes compared to humans. Yeast genes typically have few or no introns, with an average intron size of 200-300 base pairs (bp). In contrast, human genes have a higher intron frequency (around 8-9 introns per gene) and larger intron sizes, averaging about 3,300 bp. This difference is attributed to the distinct genome organization and complexity of the two organisms.

Step by step solution

01

Introduction

An intron is a noncoding sequence of DNA found in a gene. Intron frequency and size are variable among eukaryotes, including yeast and humans.
02

Yeast intron frequency

Yeast belongs to the fungi kingdom, and its genome is relatively small and compact. As a result, its intron frequency is low: they usually contain very few introns per gene. In the case of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a commonly studied yeast species, most genes have only one intron or even no introns at all.
03

Human intron frequency

On the other hand, humans belong to the animal kingdom, and their genome is larger and more complex. Human genes generally contain a higher intron frequency, with an average of 8-9 introns per gene, and some genes can have even more than 50 introns.
04

Yeast intron size

In yeast, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, introns tend to be shorter in length. The average size of an intron in yeast is around 200-300 base pairs (bp).
05

Human intron size

In humans, introns are significantly larger than in yeast. Human introns have a wide size range with an average of around 3,300 base pairs (bp), with some introns even extending beyond 100,000 base pairs.
06

Conclusion

In conclusion, yeast has a lower intron frequency and smaller intron sizes compared to humans. Yeast genes typically have few or no introns, and their introns are shorter in length; on average, 200-300 bp. In contrast, human genes have a higher intron frequency (around 8-9 introns per gene) and larger intron sizes, averaging about 3,300 bp. This difference in intron frequency and size is attributed to the distinct genome organization and complexity of the two organisms.

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