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Updated: Jun 13, 2026
04:04
Real-Time Quantification of the Effects of IS200/IS605 Family-Associated TnpB on Transposon Activity
Published on: January 20, 2023
Transposable element DNA and RNA: Drivers of gene expression, evolution, and disease
Jessica Sook Yuin Ho1, Christopher H Douse2, Ivan Marazzi3
1Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, Singapore.
Cell
|June 11, 2026
Summary
Transposable elements (TEs) are crucial genomic components, acting as regulatory elements that influence gene networks and evolution. Their diverse roles, from gene regulation to driving genome organization, highlight their significance beyond repetitive DNA.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Transposable elements (TEs) constitute a significant portion of mammalian genomes, influencing genome structure and gene expression.
- Recent advancements enable the study of individual TE loci, revealing specific regulatory functions.
- TEs, though often immobile, retain DNA and RNA forms impacting genome regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the multifaceted roles of transposable elements in mammalian genome regulation.
- To understand the mechanisms of TE repression and activation.
- To highlight the implications of TEs in development, disease, and biotechnology.
Main Methods:
- Long-read sequencing technologies.
- Functional (epi)genomic analyses.
- Analysis of TE regulatory functions at specific loci.
Main Results:
- TEs function as alternative promoters, exons, splicing regulators, enhancers, and drivers of 3D genome organization.
- TEs generate long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that recruit regulatory factors.
- TE repression involves epigenetic mechanisms, RNA modifications, and compartmentalization, with potential for selective lifting.
Conclusions:
- TEs are integral regulatory elements shaping mammalian genomes and gene networks.
- TE dysregulation is implicated in human diseases, including cancer and neurodegeneration.
- TEs offer potential as biomarkers and tools for gene and cell engineering.
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