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Transposons

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Transposons, or "jumping genes," are small mobile genetic elements (MGEs) that range from 700 to 40,000 base pairs in length. They are found in all organisms and can move within the same chromosome or transfer to different chromosomes. In some cases, transposons can also jump between different host DNA molecules, such as plasmids or viruses, contributing to genetic variability.Barbara McClintock first discovered these mobile genetic elements in the 1940s while studying maize genetics, and she...

DNA-only Transposons

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DNA-only transposons are called autonomous transposons since they code for the enzyme transposase that is required for the transposition mechanism. Insertion of transposons can alter gene functions in multiple ways. They can mutate the gene, alter gene expression by introducing a novel promoter or insulator sequence, introduce new splice sites, and change the mRNA transcripts produced, or remodel chromatin structure.
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LTR retrotransposons are class I transposable elements with long terminal repeats flanking an internal coding region. These elements are less abundant in mammals compared to other class I transposable elements. About 8 percent of human genomic DNA comprises LTR retrotransposons. Some of the common examples of LTR retrotransposons are Ty elements in yeast and Copia elements in Drosophila.
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Real-Time Quantification of the Effects of IS200/IS605 Family-Associated TnpB on Transposon Activity

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Transposon Display identifies individual transposable elements in high copy number lines.

D Van den Broeck¹, T Maes, M Sauer

¹Laboratorium voor Genetica, Universiteit Gent, K.L.Ledeganckstraat 37, B-9000 Gent, Belgium.

The Plant Journal : for Cell and Molecular Biology

|July 28, 2007

Summary

Researchers developed Transposon Display to detect the dTph1 transposable element in Petunia. This method aids in isolating tagged genes, successfully identifying a mutant gene linked to the Fbp1 gene.

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Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level

Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level

Published on: April 23, 2016

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Plant Genetics
Genomics

Background:

The dTph1 transposable element family in Petunia hybrida line W138 comprises 100-200 members.
Understanding transposable element behavior is crucial for plant genetics and genome evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe a novel strategy, Transposon Display, for simultaneous detection of individual dTph1 elements.
To demonstrate the application of Transposon Display for isolating dTph1-tagged genes, including those associated with mutant phenotypes.

Main Methods:

Ligation-mediated PCR was employed to amplify sequences flanking dTph1 elements.
Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used for locus-specific fragment analysis.
Reconstruction experiments and random tagging were utilized to validate gene isolation.

Main Results:

Transposon Display allows for simultaneous detection and locus-specific analysis of dTph1 elements.
The method successfully facilitated the isolation of dTph1-tagged genes.
A phenotypic mutant was molecularly identified, with the candidate fragment sequencing to a portion of the Fbp1 gene.

Conclusions:

Transposon Display is an effective tool for analyzing transposable element populations and isolating tagged genes in Petunia.
This technique provides a powerful approach for functional genomics and mutant analysis in plants.