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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...
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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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The evolution of new genes is critical for speciation. Exon recombination, also known as exon shuffling or domain shuffling, is an important means of new gene formation. It is observed across vertebrates, invertebrates, and in some plants such as potatoes and sunflowers. During exon recombination, exons from the same or different genes recombine and produce new exon-intron combinations, which might evolve into new genes. 
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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...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 15, 2026

Generation of Genomic Deletions in Mammalian Cell Lines via CRISPR/Cas9
09:40

Generation of Genomic Deletions in Mammalian Cell Lines via CRISPR/Cas9

Published on: January 3, 2015

Protein insertions and deletions enabled by neutral roaming in sequence space.

Agnes Tóth-Petróczy1, Dan S Tawfik

  • 1Department of Biological Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|January 15, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Insertions and deletions (InDels) are purged much faster than substitutions. Correlated substitutions may precede InDels, enabling their acceptance through neutral roaming or adaptive walks.

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Molecular evolution
  • Protein engineering

Background:

  • Insertions and deletions (InDels) significantly impact protein structure and function.
  • Knowledge of InDel evolution and engineering is limited compared to point mutations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the deleteriousness of InDels versus point mutations.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms governing InDel acceptance in protein evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of InDel evolution in orthologous protein phylogenies.
  • Comparative analysis of InDel and substitution rates across species and genomic regions.

Main Results:

  • InDels are purged 9- to 100-fold more rapidly than point mutations.
  • The ratio of substitutions to InDels is higher in coding than noncoding regions.
  • Substitutions often precede InDels, potentially enabling their accumulation.

Conclusions:

  • InDel evolution is slow and nonlinear, often requiring prior substitutions.
  • Correlated substitutions may facilitate InDel acceptance via neutral roaming or adaptive walks.
  • Genomic frequency influences InDel dynamics, with higher frequencies favoring compensation.