Location of the matK gene in the chloroplast genome of Arabidopsis thaliana. matK is one of the protein-coding genes involved in functions other than photosynthetic reactions (red boxes). matK maps at the 2–3.5 kb coordinates.

Maturase K (matK) is a plant plastidial gene. The protein it encodes is an organelle intron maturase, a protein that splices Group II introns. It is essential for in vivo splicing of Group II introns. Amongst other maturases, this protein retains only a well conserved domain X and remnants of a reverse transcriptase domain.

Universal matK primers can be used for DNA barcoding of angiosperms.

See also

  • LtrA, an open reading frame found in the Lactococcus lactis group II introns LtrB. It is an intron-encoded protein, with three subdomains, one of which is a reverse-transcriptase/maturase.