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TRANSPOSONS
TRANSPOSONS
Transposable elements
Jumping genes
Mobile DNA
able to move from one place to another within
a cells genome
sometimes a copy is made and the copy
moves
insertion requires target DNA sequences
Transposon
Discovery of transposons
Barbara McClintock 1950s Ac Ds system in
maize influencing kernel color unstable elements
changing map position promote chromosomal
breaks.
Rediscovery of bacterial insertion sequences
source of polar mutations
BACTERIAL TRANSPOSONS
In bacteria, transposons can jump from
chromosomal DNA to plasmid DNA and back.
Transposons in bacteria usually carry an
additional gene for function other than
transposition---often for antibiotic resistance.
Bacterial transposons of this type belong to the
Tn family. When the transposable elements
lack additional genes, they are known as
insertion sequences (IS family).
Insertion sequences
Insertion sequences IS1 and IS186, present in the 50kb segment of the E. coli DNA, are examples of DNA
transposons.
Single E. coli genome may contain 20 of them.
Most of the sequence is taken by one or two genes for
transposase enzyme that catalyses transposition.
IS elements transpose either replicatively or
conservatively.
Bacterial IS element
Central region encodes for one or two enzymes required for transposition. It is flanked by inverted
repeats of characteristic sequence.
The 5 and 3 short direct repeats are generated from the target-site DNA during the insertion of
mobile element.
The length of these repeats is constant for a given IS element, but their sequence depends upon
the site of insertion and is not characteristic for the IS element.
Arrows indicate orientation.
Mechanism of transposition
Two distinct mechanisms of transposition:
Replicative transposition direct interaction
between the donor transposon and the target
site, resulting in copying of the donor element
Conservative transposition involving
excision of the element and reintegration at a
new site.
Mechanism of transposition
1. Replicative transposition
Copy of transposon sequence
Transposition
Duplication of target sequence
2. Non-replicative (conservative)
transposition
- Cannot copy transposon sequence
- Transposition by cut and paste model
Cut transposon sequence from
donor molecule
Evolution of Transposons
Transposons are found in all major
branches of life.
Cont
Diseases caused by transposons include
-hemophilia A and B
-severe combined immunodeficiency
-Porphyria
-Cancer
-Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Applications
Researchers use transposons as a means of
mutagenesis.
To identifying the mutant allele.
To study the chemical mutagenesis methods.
To study gene expression.