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Related Experiment Videos

Massive horizontal transfer of transposable elements in insects.

Jean Peccoud1, Vincent Loiseau2, Richard Cordaux2

  • 1UMR CNRS 7267 Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Equipe Ecologie Evolution Symbiose, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers F-86073, France clement.gilbert30@gmail.com jean.peccoud@univ-poitiers.fr.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|April 19, 2017
PubMed
Summary

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Horizontal transfer of transposable elements (HTTs) significantly shapes insect genomes, with DNA transposons transferring more frequently than retrotransposons. These events, driven by relatedness and proximity, contribute substantially to insect genome evolution.

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Horizontal transfer (HT) of genetic material is crucial for prokaryote genome evolution.
  • In eukaryotes, transposable element (TE) transfers are the primary form of HT.
  • Large-scale surveys on TE horizontal transfer (HTT) in eukaryotes are lacking, limiting understanding of its impact and drivers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a comprehensive analysis of HTT across diverse insect genomes.
  • To determine the frequency, impact, and influencing factors of HTT in insect evolution.
  • To investigate trends in HTT, differentiating between DNA transposons and retrotransposons.

Main Methods:

  • Genome-wide analysis of HTT events in 195 insect genomes from 123 genera and 13 orders.
Keywords:
biogeographygenome evolutionhorizontal transferinsectstransposable elements

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparative genomics to identify horizontally transferred TEs.
  • Phylogenetic and geographic analyses to identify factors influencing transfer.

    • Main Results:

    • Identified at least 2,248 HTT events in the studied insects, primarily within the last 10 million years.
    • DNA transposons were found to transfer horizontally more frequently than retrotransposons.
    • Phylogenetic relatedness and geographical proximity were confirmed as key factors facilitating HTT.
    • Horizontally transferred TEs contributed up to 24% of nucleotides in some insect genomes (2.08% on average).

    Conclusions:

    • Horizontal transfer of transposable elements is a significant evolutionary force in insect genomes.
    • HTT has a substantial impact on insect genome architecture and diversity.
    • Understanding the drivers of HTT, such as relatedness and proximity, is key to comprehending genome evolution.