Which type of organisms contain introns in their genes?

Eukaryotes are the type of organisms that are characterized by having introns in their genes. Introns are non-coding sequences found within genes that are transcribed into precursor mRNA but are removed during RNA processing before translation. This process of splicing is a critical step in the expression of eukaryotic genes and allows for the possibility of alternative splicing, which can lead to the production of different protein isoforms from a single gene.

In contrast, prokaryotes, which include bacteria and archaea, typically do not contain introns in their genes. Their genes are often organized in operons and lack the complex gene architecture seen in eukaryotes, leading to a more streamlined process of transcription and translation. This fundamental difference in genetic organization and expression is one of the key distinctions between eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms.