The outron is an intron-like sequence possessing similar characteristics such as the G+C content and a splice acceptor site that is the signal for trans-splicing. Such a trans-splice site is essentially defined as an acceptor (3) splice site without an upstream donor (5) splice site. 
In eukaryotes such as euglenozoans, dinoflagellates, sponges, nematodes, cnidarians, ctenophores, flatworms, crustaceans, chaetognaths, rotifers, and tunicates, the length of spliced leader (SL) outrons range from 30 to 102 nucleotides (nt), with the SL exon length ranging from 16 to 51 nt, and the full SL RNA length ranging from 46 to 141 nt.