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Updated: Mar 22, 2026

Standardized Method for High-throughput Sterilization of Arabidopsis Seeds
Published on: October 17, 2017
The enigma of transposable element abundance: lessons from Arabidopsis
Long-Long Yang1, Yi Li1, Xiao-Min Niu2
1State Key Laboratory of Plant Diversity and Specialty Crops, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China; China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Abstract:
Transposable elements (TEs) represent a major component of diverse genomes, can generate large-effect mutations, and affect adaptive evolution. Despite their significant role in various evolutionary processes, the regulatory mechanisms governing TE abundance variation remain an enigma. This review synthesizes current knowledge about the evolutionary dynamics of TEs in natural populations of Arabidopsis, emphasizing forces driving TE abundance variation. In addition, we pay more attention to the influence of epigenetic factors and environmental stresses on TE activity and highlight the genetic architecture of TE transposition in natural populations. Finally, we review the progress in characterization, identification, and applications of active TEs, which are among the major contributors to TE abundance, and suggest directions for future study. Overall, we aim to resolve the enigma of TE abundance by outlining its potential drivers.
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