Ongoing endeavors to detect mobilization of transposable elements

초록

Transposable elements (TEs) are DNA sequences capable of mobilization from one location to another in the genome. Since the discovery of ???Dissociation (Dc) locus??? by Barbara McClintock in maize (1), mounting evidence in the era of genomics indicates that a significant fraction of most eukaryotic genomes is com-posed of TE sequences, involving in various aspects of bio-logical processes such as development, physiology, diseases and evolution. Although technical advances in genomics have discovered numerous functional impacts of TE across species, our understanding of TEs is still ongoing process due to chal-lenges resulted from complexity and abundance of TEs in the genome. In this mini-review, we briefly summarize biology of TEs and their impacts on the host genome, emphasizing im-portance of understanding TE landscape in the genome. Then, we introduce recent endeavors especially in vivo retrotransposi-tion assays and long read sequencing technology for identifying de novo insertions/TE polymorphism, which will broaden our knowledge of extraordinary relationship between genomic co-habitants and their host. [BMB Reports 2022; 55(7): 305-315]

키워드