Transposable elements in gene regulation and in the evolution of vertebrate genomes

Repetitive DNA and in particular transposable elements have been intimately linked to eukaryotic genomes for millions of years. Once overlooked for being only a collection of selfish debris and a nuisance for sequence assembly, genomic repeats are now being recognized as a key driving force in genome evolution. Indeed, by changing the DNA landscape of genomes, transposable elements have been a rich source of innovation in genes, regulatory elements and genome structures. In this review, I will focus on recent advances that demonstrate that genomic repeats have had a global impact on vertebrate gene regulatory networks. I will also summarize results that show how transposable elements have been a major catalyst of structural rearrangements throughout evolution.