The bI4 RNA mitochondrial maturase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae can stimulate intra-chromosomal recombination in Escherichia coli.

When the bI4 RNA maturase, encoded by the fourth intron of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was expressed in Escherichia coli, formation of intra-chromosomal Lac+ recombinants was stimulated threefold. This "hyper-rec" phenotype was recA as well as recBCD dependent. The most active form of the bI4 maturase stimulated homologous recombination whereas splicing deficient mutants of bI4 maturase were either deficient in or unable to stimulate homologous recombination.