Exon Shuffling

Exon shuffling is the process of rearranging, or shuffling, exons (coding regions of a gene) within a gene to produce a new gene that has different, potentially beneficial, characteristics. It is thought to be a major factor in the evolution of genes and is one of the main ways that genetic variation is created. Exon shuffling is also a powerful tool in biotechnology, allowing scientists to create new genes with desirable characteristics, such as higher yield and resistance to diseases. The potential uses of exon shuffling are vast, with applications including crop and livestock improvement, production of biofuels, and development of new drugs to combat disease.