Ⅱ型内含子除具有核酶的特性之外,还可作为一种可移动的元件特异性地转移到基因组序列中,其转移过程需要内含子RNA和内含子编码蛋白质(IEP)来识别靶标位点,内含子已经作为一种新型的基因打靶工具应用于原核生物的基因插入失活和特定的基因敲除,并在真核生物基因组的功能基因组学和基因治疗中展现了广阔的应用前景。
Mobile group II introns are both ribozymes and unique mobile elements for their high sequence-specific, yet readily flexible target site recognition. Both intron RNA and intron-encoded protein (IEP) are involved in target site recognition. Therefore, intron RNA can be a new type of gene targeting for specific gene disruption and knockout technology in prokaryotes. This technology has great potential for revolutionizing fields in eukaryotes, such as functional genomics and gene therapy.