Craik C S, Rutter W J, Fletterick R
Science. 1983 Jun 10;220(4602):1125-9. doi: 10.1126/science.6344214.
A comparison between eukaryotic gene sequences and protein sequences of homologous enzymes from bacterial and mammalian organisms shows that intron-exon junctions frequently coincide with variable surface loops of the protein structures. The altered surface structures can account for functional differences among the members of a family. Sliding of the intron-exon junctions may constitute one mechanism for generating length polymorphisms and divergent sequences found in protein families. Since intron-exon junctions map to protein surfaces, the alterations mediated by sliding of these junctions can be effected without disrupting the stability of the protein core.
真核生物基因序列与来自细菌和哺乳动物的同源酶的蛋白质序列之间的比较表明，内含子 - 外显子连接常常与蛋白质结构的可变表面环重合。表面结构的改变可以解释一个家族成员之间的功能差异。内含子 - 外显子连接的滑动可能构成一种产生蛋白质家族中发现的长度多态性和序列分歧的机制。由于内含子 - 外显子连接定位于蛋白质表面，这些连接滑动介导的改变可以在不破坏蛋白质核心稳定性的情况下实现。
