Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Heavy metals stimulate human LINE-1 retrotransposition.

Shubha P Kale1, Lakisha Moore, Prescott L Deininger

  • 1Dept. of Biology, Xavier University of Louisiana, 1 Drexel Dr. New Orleans, LA 70125, USA.

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|May 19, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Environmental pollutants like heavy metals can activate mobile elements (L1 retrotransposition) in the human genome. This discovery links carcinogens to genomic instability, a factor in cancer development.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Reviving a 60 million year old LINE-1 element.

Gene reports·2018
Same author

The role of Alu-derived RNAs in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Medical hypotheses·2018
Same author

Transcription coupled repair and biased insertion of human retrotransposon L1 in transcribed genes.

Mobile DNA·2017
Same author

Evaluating different DNA binding domains to modulate L1 ORF2p-driven site-specific retrotransposition events in human cells.

Gene·2017
Same author

The Nucleotide Excision Repair Pathway Limits L1 Retrotransposition.

Genetics·2017
Same author

Carcinogenic effects of oil dispersants: A KEGG pathway-based RNA-seq study of human airway epithelial cells.

Gene·2016

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Environmental Toxicology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • L1 and Alu elements are active retroposons in the human genome.
  • Insertions of these mobile elements are linked to diseases like cancer.
  • Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of environmental pollutants on L1 retrotransposition.
  • To determine if heavy metals can stimulate mobile element activity.
  • To explore a novel mechanism linking environmental agents to genomic instability.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a tissue culture system with two distinct assay types.
  • Employed both stably integrated (genomic) and transiently transfected (episomal) L1 vectors.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Quantified L1 retrotransposition activity in response to specific heavy metals.

    • Main Results:

    • Mercury (HgS), cadmium (CdS), and nickel (NiO) significantly increased L1 activity.
    • L1 activity increased by an average of three-fold (p<0.001) upon exposure.
    • The stimulatory effect was observed in both genomic and episomal L1 vector systems.

    Conclusions:

    • Environmental pollutants, specifically heavy metals, can activate L1 retrotransposition.
    • This finding establishes a link between carcinogenic agents and increased mobile element activity.
    • Mobile element activation should be considered in evaluating environmental exposure-induced genomic damage and instability.