Codon usage bias is the preferential or non-random use of synonymous codons, a
ubiquitous phenomenon observed in bacteria, plants and animals. Different species have …

Changes in gene expression are at the core of most biological processes, from cell
differentiation to organ development, including the adaptation of the whole organism to the …

Background Dinoflagellates are taxonomically diverse and ecologically important
phytoplankton that are ubiquitously present in marine and freshwater environments. Mostly …

Background Internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) is already one of
the most popular phylogenetic and DNA barcoding markers. However, the existence of its …

Proteins belonging to PD-(D/E) XK phosphodiesterases constitute a functionally diverse
superfamily with representatives involved in replication, restriction, DNA repair and tRNA …

Ever since its discovery, the double-stranded DNA contained in the mitochondria of
eukaryotes has fascinated researchers because of its bacterial endosymbiotic origin, crucial …

RNase P is an essential enzyme that cleaves the 5′ leader sequence of tRNA precursors.
RNase Ps were believed until now to occur universally as ribonucleoproteins in organisms …

Eukaryotic genomes are punctuated by a multitude of tiny genetic elements, that share the
property of being recognized and transcribed by the RNA polymerase (Pol) III machinery to …

In the expanding repertoire of small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), tRNA-derived RNA
fragments (tRFs) have been identified in all domains of life. Their existence in plants has …

Transposable elements in crop plants are the powerful drivers of phenotypic variation that
has been selected during domestication and breeding programs. In tomato, transpositions of …