Back to Basics: Structure, Function, Evolution and Application of Homing Endonucleases and Inteins -- Homing Endonucleases and the Yeast Mitochondrial ? Locus — A Historical Perspective -- The LAGLIDADG Homing Endonuclease Family -- HNH Endonucleases -- GIY-YIG Homing Endonucleases — Beads on a String -- His-Cys Box Homing Endonucleases -- Group I Introns and Their Maturases: Uninvited, but Welcome Guests -- Group II Intron Homing Endonucleases: Ribonucleoprotein Complexes with Programmable Target Specificity -- Free-Standing Homing Endonucleases of T-even Phage: Freeloaders or Functionaries? -- Function and Evolution of HO and VDE Endonucleases in Fungi -- Engineering Homing Endonucleases for Genomic Applications -- Inteins — A Historical Perspective -- Origin and Evolution of Inteins and Other Hint Domains -- Biochemical Mechanisms of Intein-Mediated Protein Splicing -- The Structure and Function of Intein-Associated Homing Endonucleases -- Harnessing Inteins for Protein Purification and Characterization -- Production of Cyclic Proteins and Peptides -- Inteins for Split-Protein Reconstitutions and Their Applications -- Intein Reporter and Selection Systems -- Industrial Applications of Intein Technology.