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Sokoine University of Agriculture

This document is a student assignment on transposable elements from Sokoine University of Agriculture. It defines transposable elements as DNA sequences that can move from one location in the genome to another. There are two main types of transposons: DNA transposons, which encode a transposase protein and move via a "cut and paste" mechanism without an RNA intermediate; and retrotransposons, which move via an RNA intermediate and rely on reverse transcriptase to copy the RNA back into DNA at a new genomic location. Retrotransposons are further divided into LTR retrotransposons, with long terminal repeats, and non-LTR retrotransposons that lack the repeats.

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Tiffany Castaneda
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40 views3 pages

Sokoine University of Agriculture

This document is a student assignment on transposable elements from Sokoine University of Agriculture. It defines transposable elements as DNA sequences that can move from one location in the genome to another. There are two main types of transposons: DNA transposons, which encode a transposase protein and move via a "cut and paste" mechanism without an RNA intermediate; and retrotransposons, which move via an RNA intermediate and rely on reverse transcriptase to copy the RNA back into DNA at a new genomic location. Retrotransposons are further divided into LTR retrotransposons, with long terminal repeats, and non-LTR retrotransposons that lack the repeats.

Uploaded by

Tiffany Castaneda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE



DEPARTMENT OF CROP SCIENCE AND PRODUCTION


COURSE NAME: GENETICS


COURSE CODE: CS 105


DEGREE PROGRAM: BSC.AGRONOMY


NAME OF STUDENT: ELIAS, REMIGIUS KAWISHE


REGISTRATION NUMBER: AGR/E/2013/0016

QN: Write a summary on Transposable elements.

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. TRYPHONE G.MUHAMBA
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 07
th
May 2014

TRANSPOSABLE ELEMENTS
Transposable elements (TEs), also known as "jumping genes," are DNA sequences that move from
one location on the genome to another. These elements were first identified more than 50 years ago by
geneticist Barbara McClintock. Biologists were initially skeptical of McClintock's discovery. Over the
next several decades, however, it became apparent that not only do TEs "jump," but they are also
found in almost all organisms (both prokaryotes and eukaryotes) and typically in large numbers. For
example, TEs make up approximately 50% of the human genome and up to 90% of the maize genome
(SanMiguel, 1996).
Types of Transposons
DNA Transposons
All complete or "autonomous" class 2 TEs encode the protein transposase, which they require for
insertion and excision. Some of these TEs also encode other proteins.DNA transposons never use
RNA intermediaries; they always move on their own, inserting or excising themselves from the
genome by means of a so called "cut and paste" mechanism.
Class 2 TEs are characterized by the presence of terminal inverted repeats, about 9 to 40 base pairs
long, on both of their ends. One of the roles of terminal inverted repeats is to be recognized by
transposase.
Retrotransposons
Unlike class 2 elements, class 1 elements also known as retrotransposons move through the action of
RNA intermediaries. In other words, class 1 TEs do not encode transposase; rather, they produce RNA
transcripts and then rely upon reverse transcriptase enzymes to reverse transcribe the RNA sequences
back into DNA, which is then inserted into the target site. There are two major types of class 1 TEs:
LTR retrotransposons, which are characterized by the presence of long terminal repeats (LTRs) on
both ends; and non-LTR TEs, which lack the repeats.

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