Jef Akst | Sep 15, 2010 | 4 min read
In just two decades, the protein equivalent of an intron has carved out a significant niche in biotechnology -- and captured the interest of evolutionary biologists, who suspect these potentially ancient elements could provide clues to early enzymes. Image: Wikimedia commonsWith the ability to splice themselves out of proteins and paste the two loose ends of the protein back together, inteins are proving to be an invaluable tool in biotechnology. Just 20 years since their discovery, inteins are