Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Overview of Transposition and Recombination02:13

Overview of Transposition and Recombination

17.0K
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...
17.0K
DNA-only Transposons02:57

DNA-only Transposons

15.1K
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...
15.1K
Transposons01:24

Transposons

428
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...
428
LTR Retrotransposons03:08

LTR Retrotransposons

18.4K
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...
18.4K
Non-LTR Retrotransposons03:18

Non-LTR Retrotransposons

12.2K
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...
12.2K
Export of Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genes02:19

Export of Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genes

3.8K
A eukaryotic cell can have up to three different types of genetic systems: nuclear, mitochondrial, and chloroplast. During evolution, organelles have exported many genes to the nucleus; this transfer is still ongoing in some plant species. Approximately 18% of the Arabidopsis thaliana nuclear genome is thought to be derived from the chloroplast’s cyanobacterial ancestor, and around 75% of the yeast genome derived from the mitochondria’s bacterial ancestor. This export has occurred...
3.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Comprehensive Annotation of Olfactory and Gustatory Receptor Genes and Transposable Elements Revealed Their Evolutionary Dynamics in Aphids.

Molecular biology and evolution·2025
Same author

Long-term evolutionary persistence of a cryptic color polymorphism in frogs.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025
Same author

Temporal Genomics Reveal a Century of Genomic Diversity Shifts Across a Biodiversity Hotspot Avian Assemblage.

Genome biology and evolution·2025
Same author

Urban Life Shapes Genetic Diversity in the Green Anole, Anolis carolinensis.

Molecular ecology·2025
Same author

Chromosome-level reference genome for the medically important Arabian horned viper (Cerastes gasperettii).

GigaScience·2025
Same author

High-Density Lipoprotein Lipid and Protein Cargo and Cholesterol Efflux Capacity Before and After Bariatric Surgery.

Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 30, 2025

Real-Time Quantification of the Effects of IS200/IS605 Family-Associated TnpB on Transposon Activity
04:04

Real-Time Quantification of the Effects of IS200/IS605 Family-Associated TnpB on Transposon Activity

Published on: January 20, 2023

2.5K

The Structural, Functional and Evolutionary Impact of Transposable Elements in Eukaryotes.

Dareen Almojil1, Yann Bourgeois2, Marcin Falis1

  • 1New York University Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 129188, United Arab Emirates.

Genes
|July 2, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Transposable elements (TEs), or mobile genetic elements, significantly shape eukaryotic genome evolution. They influence genome size, organization, and gene regulation, driving evolutionary novelty and adaptation.

Keywords:
eukaryotesgenome evolutiontransposable elements

More Related Videos

Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level
11:52

Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level

Published on: April 23, 2016

8.6K
RNA Next-Generation Sequencing and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Identify Expressed LINE-1s at the Locus-Specific Level
11:04

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

Published on: May 19, 2019

10.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Oct 30, 2025

Real-Time Quantification of the Effects of IS200/IS605 Family-Associated TnpB on Transposon Activity
04:04

Real-Time Quantification of the Effects of IS200/IS605 Family-Associated TnpB on Transposon Activity

Published on: January 20, 2023

2.5K
Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level
11:52

Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level

Published on: April 23, 2016

8.6K
RNA Next-Generation Sequencing and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Identify Expressed LINE-1s at the Locus-Specific Level
11:04

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

Published on: May 19, 2019

10.1K

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic sequences prevalent across eukaryotic genomes.
  • Advances in genomic data and molecular techniques highlight their profound evolutionary impact.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the multifaceted roles of TEs in eukaryotic genome evolution.
  • To explore how TEs contribute to genomic structure, gene regulation, and the emergence of novel biological functions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of large-scale genomic datasets.
  • Genome annotation and comparative genomics approaches.
  • Molecular biology techniques to study TE function and impact.

Main Results:

  • TEs are a primary driver of differences in haploid genome size.
  • TEs alter genome organization by regional accumulation, causing structural rearrangements, and modifying recombination rates.
  • TEs serve as a source of evolutionary novelties, including regulatory sequences and protein-coding genes.

Conclusions:

  • Transposable elements are critical agents of eukaryotic evolution, influencing genome architecture and function.
  • TEs have been co-opted for gene regulation and contribute to the evolution of regulatory networks.
  • The full impact of TEs on speciation and adaptation is an active area of ongoing research.