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 Experiment Videos

Mobile elements inserted in the distant past have taken on important functions

R J Britten1

  • 1California Institute of Technology, Division of Biology, Pasadena, USA. rbritten@mirsky.caltech.edu

Gene
|February 14, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Genomic sequence elements inserted long ago have significantly shaped evolution. These elements, found in diverse species, demonstrate a lasting impact on regulatory variation and organism development.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

SEA URCHIN DNA SEQUENCE VARIATION AND REDUCED INTERSPECIES DIFFERENCES OF THE LESS VARIABLE DNA SEQUENCES.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2017
Same author

Climate change and the integrity of science.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2010
Same author

The Synthesis of Ribosomes in E. coli: I. The Incorporation of C-Uracil into the Metabolic Pool and RNA.

Biophysical journal·2009
Same author

The Synthesis of Ribosomes in E. coli: III. Synthesis of Ribosomal RNA.

Biophysical journal·2009
Same author

Identification of new skeletogenic genes of the sea urchin embryo by use of conserved sequence motifs among the SM50 gene family.

Zygote (Cambridge, England)·2001
Same author

A sea urchin genome project: sequence scan, virtual map, and additional resources.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2000

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • The long-term evolutionary impact of sequence element insertions is not fully understood.
  • Identifying ancient, functional insertions is crucial for evolutionary studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current evidence on the evolutionary effects of ancient sequence element insertions.
  • To identify and analyze examples meeting specific criteria for functional evolutionary impact.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of genomic studies.
  • Analysis of 21 examples from Drosophila, sea urchin, human, and mouse genomes.
  • Criteria for inclusion: ancient insertion, membership in a large sequence group, and current functional role.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • 21 examples of ancient, functional sequence element insertions were identified across diverse species.
  • These insertions are not transient mutations but established genomic features.
  • The identified elements belong to large, conserved sequence families.

Conclusions:

  • Insertion of sequence elements has been a major driver of regulatory variation throughout evolution.
  • These ancient insertions have played a significant role in shaping genome evolution.
  • The findings highlight the functional importance of non-coding DNA in evolutionary processes.