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Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
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...
Transgenic Organisms00:53

Transgenic Organisms

Overview
Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation02:53

Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation

Because the DNA segments are cut and reorganized in a direction-specific manner, site-specific recombination has emerged as an efficient genetic engineering technique. Flippase and Cyclization recombinases or Flp and Cre, respectively, are two members of the tyrosine recombinase family derived from bacteriophages, that are used to mediate site-specific DNA insertions, deletions, and targeted expression of proteins in mammalian cell lines.
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Site-Directed &#966;C31-Mediated Integration and Cassette Exchange in Anopheles Vectors of Malaria
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Site-Directed φC31-Mediated Integration and Cassette Exchange in Anopheles Vectors of Malaria

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MAR elements and transposons for improved transgene integration and expression.

Déborah Ley1, Niamh Harraghy, Valérie Le Fourn

  • 1Institute of Biotechnology, University of Lausanne, and Center for Biotechnology UNIL-EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Plos One
|May 7, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Matrix Attachment Regions (MARs) enhance transgene expression from piggyBac transposon vectors in CHO cells. This improves gene therapy and biotechnology applications, especially without antibiotic selection.

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Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Gene Therapy

Background:

  • Achieving reliable, long-term transgene expression is crucial for gene therapy and biotechnology.
  • Antibiotic selection is often not feasible, posing challenges for gene transfer vector applications.
  • Genome-integrating vectors can suffer from variable gene transcription and silencing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of Matrix Attachment Regions (MARs) on transgene expression from piggyBac transposon vectors in CHO cells.
  • To determine if MARs can improve transgene expression reliability and efficiency, particularly without antibiotic selection.
  • To assess the utility of MAR-containing transposons for applications requiring expression from a low number of integrated copies.

Main Methods:

  • Incorporation of human MAR elements (1-68 and X-29) into a piggyBac transposon vector.
  • Transposition and transgene expression analysis in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells.
  • Assessment of transposition frequency and expression levels per integrated copy.
  • Evaluation of expression in polyclonal and monoclonal cell populations without antibiotic selection.

Main Results:

  • MAR 1-68 inclusion did not affect transposition frequency.
  • Transgene expression was detectable in the total cell population without antibiotic selection.
  • MAR inclusion led to higher transgene expression per integrated copy.
  • Reliable expression was achieved with as few as 2-4 genomic copies of the MAR-containing transposon.
  • MAR X-29 enhanced therapeutic protein expression in CHO cells.

Conclusions:

  • Matrix Attachment Regions (MARs) can enhance transgene expression from piggyBac transposon vectors.
  • MARs improve expression efficiency and reliability, especially when using a low number of integrated transgene copies.
  • MAR-containing transposable vectors offer a valuable tool for gene therapy and biotechnology when antibiotic selection is not applicable.