Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2025

Real-Time Quantification of the Effects of IS200/IS605 Family-Associated TnpB on Transposon Activity
Published on: January 20, 2023
Transposon-host arms race: a saga of genome evolution
Yuka W Iwasaki1, Keisuke Shoji2, Shinichi Nakagwa3
1Laboratory for Functional Non-coding Genomics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan.
None:
Once considered 'junk DNA,' transposons or transposable elements (TEs) are now recognized as key drivers of genome evolution, contributing to genetic diversity, gene regulation, and species diversification. However, their ability to move within the genome poses a potential threat to genome integrity, promoting the evolution of robust host defense systems such as Krüppel-associated box (KRAB) domain-containing zinc finger proteins (KRAB-ZFPs), the human silencing hub (HUSH) complex, 4.5SH RNAs, and PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). This ongoing evolutionary arms race between TEs and host defenses continuously reshapes genome architecture and function. This review outlines various host defense mechanisms and explores the dynamic coevolution of TEs and host defenses in animals, highlighting how the defense mechanisms not only safeguard the host genomes but also drive genetic innovation through the arms race.
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