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Related Concept Videos

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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Transposons01:24

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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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A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
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Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

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The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
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Cells are sometimes infected by more than one virus at once. When two viruses disassemble to expose their genomes for replication in the same cell, similar regions of their genomes can pair together and exchange sequences in a process called recombination. Alternatively, viruses with segmented genomes can swap segments in a process called reassortment.
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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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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 4, 2025

Genetic Manipulation of the Plant Pathogen Ustilago maydis to Study Fungal Biology and Plant Microbe Interactions
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Rapid sequence evolution driven by transposable elements at a virulence locus in a fungal wheat pathogen.

Nikhil Kumar Singh1, Thomas Badet1, Leen Abraham1

  • 1Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

BMC Genomics
|May 28, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Transposable elements near pathogen effector genes drive rapid evolution and virulence in Zymoseptoria tritici, a major wheat pathogen. Understanding these dynamic loci is key to predicting pathogen evolvability and ensuring food security.

Keywords:
CropsGenome assemblyGenome-wide association mappingPathogen evolutionPopulation genomicsTransposable elements

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Area of Science:

  • Plant Pathology
  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Plant pathogens cause significant crop losses, threatening global food security.
  • Pathogen evolution, particularly changes in effector genes, allows them to evade plant defenses.
  • Transposable elements (TEs) near effector genes can influence their regulation and evolution, but species-wide studies are rare.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the genetic basis of variation in pathogen reproductive success and wheat damage.
  • To understand the role of transposable elements in the evolution of pathogen virulence loci.
  • To predict pathogen evolvability by studying effector gene dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were conducted on 120 isolates of Zymoseptoria tritici.
  • A highly polymorphic mapping population was used to identify genetic loci associated with virulence variation.
  • Population-scale genome analyses were performed on a global collection of assembled genomes.

Main Results:

  • A major locus significantly associated with pathogen reproductive success and wheat damage was identified.
  • This locus is intergenic, flanked by an effector gene and a serine-type endopeptidase, and contains a dynamic region rich in multiple TE families.
  • The virulence locus exhibited substantial recent sequence evolution, with large insertion/deletion events causing seven-fold length variation (5-35 kb) and genomic defense signatures (RIP) contributing to diversification.

Conclusions:

  • Combining GWAS and population-scale genomic analyses is powerful for investigating major effect loci in pathogens.
  • Transposable elements play a crucial role in the rapid evolution and diversification of pathogen virulence.
  • Understanding these dynamic loci is essential for managing plant diseases and ensuring agricultural productivity.