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Related Concept Videos

LTR Retrotransposons03:08

LTR Retrotransposons

18.0K
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...
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Non-LTR Retrotransposons03:18

Non-LTR Retrotransposons

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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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Overview of Transposition and Recombination02:13

Overview of Transposition and Recombination

16.3K
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 Transposons02:57

DNA-only Transposons

15.9K
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...
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Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation02:53

Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation

5.7K
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...
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Retrovirus Life Cycles01:10

Retrovirus Life Cycles

43.0K
Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 30, 2026

Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level
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Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level

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L1 retrotransposition: The snap-velcro model and its consequences.

Sébastien Viollet1, Clément Monot1, Gaël Cristofari1

  • 1INSERM; U1081; Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN); Nice, France ; CNRS; UMR 7284; Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN); Nice, France ; University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis; Faculty of Medicine; Nice, France.

Mobile Genetic Elements
|May 13, 2014
PubMed
Summary

LINE-1 (L1) elements use a novel snap-velcro model for retrotransposition, involving target site base-pairing and single-stranded DNA. This explains L1 integration and suggests new DNA processing steps.

Keywords:
L1LINE-1TPRTendonucleasenon-LTR retrotransposonpoly(A) tailreverse transcriptasereverse transcriptiontarget-primed reverse transcription

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RNA Next-Generation Sequencing and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Identify Expressed LINE-1s at the Locus-Specific Level
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RNA Next-Generation Sequencing and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Identify Expressed LINE-1s at the Locus-Specific Level

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Detection of Retrotransposition Activity of Hot LINE-1s by Long-Distance Inverse PCR
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Detection of Retrotransposition Activity of Hot LINE-1s by Long-Distance Inverse PCR

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Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level
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RNA Next-Generation Sequencing and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Identify Expressed LINE-1s at the Locus-Specific Level
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Detection of Retrotransposition Activity of Hot LINE-1s by Long-Distance Inverse PCR
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Detection of Retrotransposition Activity of Hot LINE-1s by Long-Distance Inverse PCR

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Genomics

Background:

  • LINE-1 (L1) elements are the only active autonomous transposable elements in humans.
  • L1 retrotransposition is mediated by a ribonucleoprotein particle (RNP) with endonuclease and reverse transcriptase activities.
  • L1 RNPs initiate reverse transcription at genomic target sites after endonuclease cleavage.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically test the ability of native L1 RNPs to extend DNA substrates of various sequences and structures.
  • To deduce the rules guiding the initiation of L1 reverse transcription.
  • To elucidate the mechanism of L1 target site selection and reverse transcription initiation.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a direct L1 extension assay (DLEA).
  • Tested native L1 RNPs with diverse DNA substrates.
  • Analyzed DNA sequence and structure effects on L1 reverse transcription.

Main Results:

  • Established the snap-velcro model for L1 reverse transcription initiation.
  • Demonstrated that L1 target choice involves both endonuclease specificity and L1 mRNA-target site base-pairing.
  • Showed that L1 reverse transcriptase requires a single-stranded 3' DNA substrate end for efficient priming.

Conclusions:

  • The snap-velcro model provides a framework for understanding L1 integration.
  • L1 target site selection is a multi-step process involving sequence recognition and base-pairing.
  • Unrecognized DNA processing steps at the integration site are suggested by the requirement for single-stranded DNA.