Molecular structure of chromosomes and transposable elements - Transposition

18 important questions on Molecular structure of chromosomes and transposable elements - Transposition

Who was the first to identify transposable elements?

McClintock.

What termed McClintock a mutable site?

A site in a chromosome that showed a fairly high rate of breakage.

How are transposable elements that move via simple transposition, called?

Transposons.
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How is the form of transposition called, where TEs move via an RNA intermediate?

Retrotransposition.

What are all the TEs flanked by?

Direct repeats (DRs), identical base sequences that are oriented in the same direction and repeated.

Which type of transposons are evolutionarily related to retroviruses?

LTR retrotransposons.

Where does the name 'LTR retrotransposons' come from?

They contain long terminal repeats (LTRs).

How are complete TEs called, and how are incomplete TEs called?

- Complete: autonomous elements
- Incomplete: nonautonomous elements.

What does a nonautonomous element need to transpose?

A gene called the Ac elements, which provides a transposase gene that enables Ds to transpose.

How does transposition occur (steps)?

- Transposase monomers bind to the repeat sequences at the ends of the TE;
- The monomers dimerize, which brings the repeats close together;
- The DNA is cleaved between the inverted and direct repeats;
- The transposase monomers cleaves the target DNA and inserts the TE.

How does retrostransposition of an LTR retrotransposon occur?

- The retrotransposon is transcribed into RNA;
- Reverse transcriptase uses this RNA as a template to synthesize a double-stranded DNA molecule;
- The LTRs at the end of the double-stranded DNA are recognized by integrase;
- Integrase catalyzes the insertion of the DNA into target chromosomal DNA.

How is the currently accepted model for the replication and integration of non-LTR retrotransposons called?

Target-site primed reverse transcription (TPRT).

How are some moderately and high repetitive sequences formed?

By the proliferation of TEs

What are LINEs and SINEs?

Long Interspersed Elements and Short Interspersed Elements.

What is a theory for the significance of TEs in the evolution of different species?

The selfish DNA hypothesis, which says that TEs exist because they have characteristics that allow them to multiply. They can proliferate as long as they do not harm the organism.

What is exon shuffling?

The theory of reasearchers that transposition may cause the insertion of exons from one gene into another gene, thereby producing a new gene.

Why is transposition relatively rare?

- It only occurs in a few individuals under certain conditions;
- Organisms have mechanisms that decrease the movement of TEs.

What is hybrid dysgenesis?

A deleterious outcome after transposition in certain organisms.

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