Final answer:
Eukaryotic genes are often interrupted by introns, which provide evolutionary flexibility through buffering mutations, allowing gene duplication, exon shuffling, and enabling alternative splicing for multiple protein isoforms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Many biologists believe that having the genes of eukaryotic cells interrupted by introns provides evolutionary flexibility. Introns are segments of DNA within a gene that are not translated into protein. Instead, they are removed during the process of RNA splicing, leaving only the exons to be expressed. Spliceosomal Introns in eukaryotic genes have been a subject of interest since their discovery earned Richard J. Roberts and Phillip A. Sharp the Nobel Prize for Physiology in 1993. Introns can be mutated without typically affecting the protein product because they are non-coding sequences. These mutations can serve as buffers against more harmful mutations and provide an opportunity for gene duplication and exon shuffling, both of which can increase genetic diversity and aid in evolution. Furthermore, alternative splicing, which can arise from intronic sequences, allows a single gene to produce multiple protein isoforms, adding another layer of complexity and adaptability.