Scherrer Klaus, Jost Jürgen
Institut Jacques Monod, CNRS and Univ. Paris 7, Paris, France.
Mol Syst Biol. 2007;3:87. doi: 10.1038/msb4100123. Epub 2007 Mar 13.
'Gene' has become a vague and ill-defined concept. To set the stage for mathematical analysis of gene storage and expression, we return to the original concept of the gene as a function encoded in the genome, basis of genetic analysis, that is a polypeptide or other functional product. The additional information needed to express a gene is contained within each mRNA as an ensemble of signals, added to or superimposed onto the coding sequence. To designate this programme, we introduce the term 'genon'. Individual genons are contained in the pre-mRNA forming a pre-genon. A genomic domain contains a proto-genon, with the signals of transcription activation in addition to the pre-genon in the transcripts. Some contain several mRNAs and hence genons, to be singled out by RNA processing and differential splicing. The programme in the genon in cis is implemented by corresponding factors of protein or RNA nature contained in the transgenon of the cell or organism. The gene, the cis programme contained in the individual domain and transcript, and the trans programme of factors, can be analysed by information theory.
“基因”已成为一个模糊且定义不明确的概念。为了为基因存储和表达的数学分析奠定基础，我们回归到基因的原始概念，即作为基因组中编码的一种功能，它是遗传分析的基础，也就是一种多肽或其他功能产物。表达一个基因所需的额外信息作为信号集合包含在每个信使核糖核酸（mRNA）中，这些信号被添加到编码序列上或叠加在编码序列之上。为了指代这个程序，我们引入“基因子”这个术语。单个基因子包含在形成前基因子的前体信使核糖核酸（pre - mRNA）中。一个基因组区域包含一个原基因子，转录本中除了前基因子外还带有转录激活信号。有些包含多个信使核糖核酸，因而包含多个基因子，可通过RNA加工和可变剪接挑选出来。顺式基因子中的程序由细胞或生物体反式基因子中包含的相应蛋白质或RNA性质的因子来执行。基因、单个区域和转录本中包含的顺式程序以及因子的反式程序，可以用信息论进行分析。
