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Related Concept Videos

Transposons01:24

Transposons

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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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Overview of Transposition and Recombination02:13

Overview of Transposition and Recombination

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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

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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.
The donor site from where the transposon is excised is either degraded or...
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LTR Retrotransposons03:08

LTR Retrotransposons

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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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piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs02:57

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

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PIWI-interacting RNAs, or piRNAs, are the most abundant short non-coding RNAs. More than 20,000 genes have been found in humans that code for piRNAs while only 2000 genes have been found for miRNAs. piRNAs can act at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and have a vital role in silencing transposable elements present in germ cells. They are also involved in epigenetic silencing and activation. Previously, they were thought to function only in germ cells but new evidence suggests...
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Single-Molecule Fluorescence Visualization of DNA Polymerase Dynamics at G-Quadruplexes
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Single-Molecule Fluorescence Visualization of DNA Polymerase Dynamics at G-Quadruplexes

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Transposable elements and G-quadruplexes.

Eduard Kejnovsky1, Viktor Tokan2, Matej Lexa3

  • 1Department of Plant Developmental Genetics, Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, Czech Republic. kejnovsk@ibp.cz.

Chromosome Research : an International Journal on the Molecular, Supramolecular and Evolutionary Aspects of Chromosome Biology
|September 26, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Transposable elements (TEs) in plants and humans often contain G-quadruplex sequences. These structures may influence TE function and spread, contributing to eukaryotic genome diversity.

Keywords:
DNA and RNA quadruplexesG-quadruplexesLTR retrotransposonsrecombinationreplicationtranscriptiontransposable elements

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Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Eukaryotic genomes contain transposable elements (TEs) with regulatory sequences.
  • Some TE sequences form non-canonical DNA structures like G-quadruplexes.
  • G-quadruplexes are implicated in various DNA processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent evidence on G-quadruplexes within TEs.
  • To discuss the role of G-quadruplexes in TE life cycle and function.
  • To highlight TEs as vehicles for G-quadruplex genomic spread.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies.
  • Analysis of G-quadruplex distribution in TEs.
  • Discussion of functional implications.

Main Results:

  • G-quadruplex-forming sequences are frequently found in specific TE regions in plants and humans.
  • These structures potentially impact TE replication, transcription, translation, chromatin, and recombination.
  • TEs can facilitate the genomic dissemination of G-quadruplexes.

Conclusions:

  • TEs act as carriers for G-quadruplexes, influencing genome evolution.
  • G-quadruplexes represent a regulatory system alongside non-coding RNAs and proteins.
  • These structures contribute to the complexity and diversity of eukaryotic genomes.