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Overview of Transposition and Recombination

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...

DNA-only Transposons

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.
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Cis-regulatory Sequences

Cis-regulatory Sequences

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Transposons

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...

Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps

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Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
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Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2026

Agrobacterium-Mediated Immature Embryo Transformation of Recalcitrant Maize Inbred Lines Using Morphogenic Genes

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Regulation of transposable elements in maize.

¹Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States. dlisch@berkeley.edu

Current Opinion in Plant Biology

|July 25, 2012

Summary

Maize transposable elements (TEs) are epigenetically silenced through complex developmental and tissue-specific mechanisms. This process generates information in somatic cells to reinforce silencing in germ cells, ensuring genome stability.

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Lignin Down-regulation of Zea mays via dsRNAi and Klason Lignin Analysis

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Published on: July 23, 2014

Area of Science:

Genetics
Epigenetics
Plant Biology

Background:

Maize (Zea mays) possesses a high proportion of transposable elements (TEs) in its genome.
The presence of numerous well-characterized active TEs in maize facilitates studies on their regulation.
Understanding TE regulation is crucial for genome stability and inheritance.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the regulatory mechanisms governing the activity of transposable elements in maize.
To elucidate how epigenetic silencing of TEs is achieved.
To explore the role of developmental timing and tissue specificity in TE silencing.

Main Methods:

Analysis of epigenetic silencing pathways in maize.
Comparative studies across different developmental stages and tissue types.
Examination of factors involved in TE recognition and silencing.

Main Results:

Transposable element silencing in maize is a complex, multi-faceted process.
Epigenetic silencing involves precise distinctions based on developmental time and tissue type.
Somatic tissues appear to generate signals that influence germinal tissue silencing.

Conclusions:

Epigenetic silencing of TEs in maize is tightly regulated by developmental and tissue-specific cues.
A mechanism exists where somatic cells transmit information to reinforce TE silencing in the germline.
This regulatory system is vital for maintaining genome integrity across generations in maize.