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

15.6K
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...
15.6K
Transposons01:24

Transposons

56
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...
56
DNA-only Transposons02:57

DNA-only Transposons

14.6K
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...
14.6K
LTR Retrotransposons03:08

LTR Retrotransposons

17.6K
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...
17.6K
Non-LTR Retrotransposons03:18

Non-LTR Retrotransposons

11.6K
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...
11.6K
Translesion DNA Polymerases02:10

Translesion DNA Polymerases

10.0K
Translesion (TLS) polymerases rescue stalled DNA polymerases at sites of damaged bases by replacing the replicative polymerase and installing a nucleotide across the damaged site. Doing so, TLS allows additional time for the cell to repair the damage before resuming regular DNA replication.
TLS polymerases are found in all three domains of life - archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes. Of the different classes of TLS polymerases, members of the Y family are fitted with specialized structures that...
10.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Transposable elements as catalysts of evolutionary innovation.

Nature reviews. Genetics·2026
Same author

EMBO Press co-evolves with molecular ecology and evolutionary biology.

The EMBO journal·2026
Same author

Pervasive <i>cis</i>-regulatory co-option of a transposable element family reinforces cell identity across the mouse immune system.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Temperature and genetic background drive mobilization of diverse transposable elements in a critical human fungal pathogen.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Gag proteins encoded by endogenous retroviruses are required for zebrafish development.

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

Transposable elements may enhance antiviral resistance in HIV-1 elite controllers.

Genome biology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 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

2.4K

Transposable elements: McClintock's legacy revisited.

Cédric Feschotte1

  • 1Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. cf458@cornell.edu.

Nature Reviews. Genetics
|September 18, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Barbara McClintock discovered transposable elements, revolutionizing genetics. Her Nobel Prize-winning work on maize mutants reshaped our understanding of genome function and evolution.

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

8.4K
Creation of a Dense Transposon Insertion Library Using Bacterial Conjugation in Enterobacterial Strains Such As Escherichia Coli or Shigella flexneri
11:36

Creation of a Dense Transposon Insertion Library Using Bacterial Conjugation in Enterobacterial Strains Such As Escherichia Coli or Shigella flexneri

Published on: September 23, 2017

16.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 16, 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

2.4K
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

8.4K
Creation of a Dense Transposon Insertion Library Using Bacterial Conjugation in Enterobacterial Strains Such As Escherichia Coli or Shigella flexneri
11:36

Creation of a Dense Transposon Insertion Library Using Bacterial Conjugation in Enterobacterial Strains Such As Escherichia Coli or Shigella flexneri

Published on: September 23, 2017

16.0K

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Barbara McClintock's groundbreaking research on maize mutants led to the discovery of transposable elements.
  • Her work, initially overlooked, was recognized decades later with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To commemorate the 40th anniversary of McClintock's Nobel Prize.
  • To revisit the history of genetics and McClintock's contributions.
  • To reflect on her scientific achievements and career challenges.

Main Methods:

  • Historical review of genetics.
  • Analysis of Barbara McClintock's research on maize mutants.
  • Exploration of the paradigm shifts in understanding transposable elements.

Main Results:

  • The discovery of transposable elements fundamentally changed the understanding of genome function and evolution.
  • McClintock's meticulous work laid the foundation for future genetic research.
  • Significant paradigm shifts have occurred in the perception and study of transposable elements.

Conclusions:

  • Barbara McClintock's legacy is pivotal in the history of genetics.
  • Her discovery of transposable elements has had profound and lasting implications.
  • Understanding her career highlights the importance of perseverance in scientific discovery.