Definition: The internal fragments of precursor proteins (INternal proTEINS) that are autocatalytically removed by PROTEIN SPLICING. The flanking fragments (EXTEINS) are ligated forming mature proteins. The nucleic acid sequences coding for inteins are considered to be MOBILE GENETIC ELEMENTS. Inteins are composed of self-splicing domains and an endonuclease domain which plays a role in the spread of the intein's genomic sequence. Mini-inteins are composed of the self-splicing domains only.
Other names Sequences, Intervening Protein; Sequence, Intervening Protein; Protein Sequences, Intervening; Protein Sequence, Intervening; Protein Intron; Intron, Protein; Intervening Protein Sequences; Intein; Intervening Protein Sequence; Protein Introns; Introns, Protein
