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Related Concept Videos

Overview of Transposition and Recombination02:13

Overview of Transposition and Recombination

Transposons make up a significant part of genomes of various organisms. Therefore, it is believed that transposition played a major evolutionary role in speciation by changing genome sizes and modifying gene expression patterns. For example, in bacteria, transposition can lead to conferring antibiotic resistance. Movement of transposable elements within the genetic pool of pathogenic bacteria can aid in transfer of antibiotic-resistant genetic elements. In eukaryotes, transposons can carry out...
LTR Retrotransposons03:08

LTR Retrotransposons

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.
The internal coding region of LTR retrotransposons and their mechanism of transposition closely resembles a...
DNA-only Transposons02:57

DNA-only Transposons

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.
The donor site from where the transposon is excised is either degraded or...
Non-LTR Retrotransposons03:18

Non-LTR Retrotransposons

As the name suggests, non-LTR retrotransposons lack the long terminal repeats characteristic of the LTR retrotransposons. Additionally, both LTR and non-LTR retrotransposons use distinct mechanisms of mobilization. Non-LTR retrotransposons are further divided into two classes - Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), both of which occur abundantly in most mammals, including humans. Some of the active non-LTR retrotransposons in humans are L1...
Transposons01:24

Transposons

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...
Retroviruses02:33

Retroviruses

Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 14, 2026

An Efficient In Vitro Transposition Method by a Transcriptionally Regulated Sleeping Beauty System Packaged into an Integration Defective Lentiviral Vector
10:13

An Efficient In Vitro Transposition Method by a Transcriptionally Regulated Sleeping Beauty System Packaged into an Integration Defective Lentiviral Vector

Published on: January 12, 2018

Comparative analysis of transposable element vector systems in human cells.

Ivana Grabundzija1, Markus Irgang, Lajos Mátés

  • 1Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.

Molecular Therapy : the Journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy
|April 8, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Sleeping Beauty (SB), piggyBac (PB), and Tol2 transposons offer complementary gene transfer tools for mammalian cells. SB excels in low-DNA conditions and hematopoietic stem cells, while all systems provide long-term expression.

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Real-Time Quantification of the Effects of IS200/IS605 Family-Associated TnpB on Transposon Activity
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Real-Time Quantification of the Effects of IS200/IS605 Family-Associated TnpB on Transposon Activity

Published on: January 20, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 14, 2026

An Efficient In Vitro Transposition Method by a Transcriptionally Regulated Sleeping Beauty System Packaged into an Integration Defective Lentiviral Vector
10:13

An Efficient In Vitro Transposition Method by a Transcriptionally Regulated Sleeping Beauty System Packaged into an Integration Defective Lentiviral Vector

Published on: January 12, 2018

Real-Time Quantification of the Effects of IS200/IS605 Family-Associated TnpB on Transposon Activity
04:04

Real-Time Quantification of the Effects of IS200/IS605 Family-Associated TnpB on Transposon Activity

Published on: January 20, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Transposon-based gene vectors are crucial for vertebrate genetics, including gene therapy.
  • A comprehensive comparison of major transposon systems is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically compare Sleeping Beauty (SB), piggyBac (PB), and Tol2 transposons.
  • To evaluate their activity, OPI, target site selection, copy number, and long-term expression in human cells.

Main Methods:

  • Side-by-side characterization of SB, PB, and Tol2 transposons.
  • Assessment of transposition efficiency, OPI, insertion site preference, and transgene expression in human cells.

Main Results:

  • SB demonstrated superior efficiency in low-DNA conditions and hard-to-transfect cells (HSCs), and higher OPI sensitivity.
  • SB and PB showed comparable activity, outperforming Tol2 under nonrestrictive conditions.
  • All three transposons facilitated long-term transgene expression with minimal silencing; Tol2 insertions avoided transcriptionally repressed heterochromatin.

Conclusions:

  • SB, PB, and Tol2 are valuable, complementary tools for gene transfer in mammalian cells.
  • System-specific characteristics influence their suitability for different applications.
  • These findings have implications for fundamental research and translational gene therapy.