Transposons

by

Muhammad Fayyaz
Farhad
Contents

• 1 – The history of mobile genetic elements

• 2 – The classification of TEs
• 3 – The structure of TEs
• 4 – The mechanism of transposition
• 5 – The effects of TEs on gene and genome
• 6 – Uses in molecular biology
 Transposable Elements

They are discrete sequence in the genome that

are mobile
they are able to transport themselves to other
location. Other names:

• Jumping genes
• Selfish DNAs
• Molecular parasites
• Controlling elements
TEs are present in the genome all species of three domains
• Found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes

• The transposible elements are the largest category of

mobile genetic elements.

• They demonstrate great diversity in structure and

transposition mechanisms.
 Discovery
• Barbara Mc Clintock discovered TEs in maize (1983)

• Her work on chromosome breakage began by

investigating genetic instability (1983)

• Observing variegated patterns of pigmentation in maize

plant and kernels

• She spent the next tree decades for this genetic elements

• Controlling elements (1956)

Barbara Mc Clintock 1902 1980 ( noble in 1984)
Classification of transposable elements
• Retrotransposons
• DNA transposons
• Retrotransposons
• Use RNA intermediate during transposition

• Transposons or DNA transposons

• Transpose directly as DNA either by excision and
integration or by replication.
 Characteristics
• DNA sequences coding for enzymes, that bring their
identical copy in new DNA site.

• Transposition involves both replication and

recombination processes generating two copies of
original DNA.

• Their insertion disrupts integrity of their target genes.

• A transposon is not a replicon

 Types of transposons
• Two types
• Insertion sequences IS

• Shorter 800-1500 bp
• Not code for protiens
• Carry information necessary for their transposition
Structure of IS
Complex transposons

• Several thousand bp long

• Genes coding for one or more protiens
• Have inverted terminal terminal repeats

• The sequence where transposon inserts is called target sequence.

Effect on genome

• TEs cause a variety of change in the genome of their

hosts

• some arrangement can be beneficial they can

advantageous for adaptation to new environment
• play important role in evolution .

• they have the ability to rearrange genomic information in

several ways

1 – Modification of gene expression

2 – Alternation gene sequence
3 – Chromosomal structural changes
 Mechanism of transposition
Direct repeats are
generated by
introduction of
staggered cuts whose
protruding ends are
linked to the transposon.
The stugger between the
cuts determines the
length of the direct
repeats.

The target repeat is

characteristic of
each transposon;
reflects the
geometry of the
cutting enzyme
Mechanism of transposition
1- Replicative transposition

1. Replicative :
a) Transposon is duplicated; a copy of the original element is made
at a recipient site(TnA); donor keeps original copy
b) Transposition- an increase in the number of Tn copies
c) ENZs: transposase (acts on the ends of original Tn) and resolvase
(acts on the duplicated copies)
Mechanism of transposition
2 -Nonreplicative
• Nonreplicative :
• Transposon moves from one site to another and is conserved;
breaks in donor repaired
• b) IS and Tn10 and Tn5 use this mechanism; no Tn copy increase
• c) ENZs: only transposase
 Donor cut
• The first stages of Both replicative and
non-replicative transpositio are semilar

• IS elements, prokaryotic eukaryotic

transposons, and bacteriophage Mu.

1. Synapsis stage- two ends of

transposon are brought together

2. Transposon nicked at both ends; target

nicked at both strands

3.. Nicked ends joine crosswise;covalent

connection between the transposon the
target
The chemistry of Donor and target cut

3 ‘ OH

3 ‘ OH
3 ‘ OH
Cutting of 3 ‘ end only

3 ‘ OH
Cutting of both ends


The 3’-ends ends groups released from flanking

DNA by donor cut reaction
They are nuclophile that attack phosphodiester
bonds in target DNA
 Retrotransposon ( retroposons )

• Use of an RNA
Intermediate
• element is transcribed
• reverse transcriptase
produces a double-
stranded DNA copy for
insertion at another site
• they as other elements
generating short direct
repeat
Types of Retrotransposons

1 – viral superfamily (autonomous retrotransposon)

• retrovirus
• LTR- retrotransposon
• LINES

non LTR- retrotransposon

2 – non viral superfamily
• (non autonomous retransposons)
•
• SINES
 mechanism of transposition
Integrase acts on both the retrotransposon line DNA and target DNA

The integrase bring the ends

of the linear DNA together 5’-ends
-Generate 2 base recessed 3’ -ends 3’-ends
and staggered end in target DNA
Non – LTR retrovirus

• LINES = long interspersed elements

• SINES = short interspersed elements
• they are significant part of relatively short sequence of
mammalian genomes .
Sleeping beauty of transposon system
• Transposible element having gene of interest is
maintained and delivered as a part of vector

• Transposase binds within inverted repeats

• Excision separates transposon from donor DNA

• Excised element integrates into a TA site in the target

DNA.
 Uses in molecular biology
• Few important uses include

• Used to generate mutations in genes

• Retrovirus used in gene therapy

• Mobile elements and repeat sequences are used in

genome mapping
Thanks for attention