Vol. 11, Issue 7 (2022)

Author(s):
Sukhjiwan Jeet Kaur and Nilesh Talekar

Abstract:
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile DNA segments that produce duplicate copies of itself and gets incorporated into another chromosomal location. TEs are found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. They are the largest elements and constitute significant proportion of the plant genome and by transposition they can lead a way to evolution by altering the structure and function of the chromatin. They interrupt the genetic codon by insertion and drive heterogeneity in the framework of the expression of genes as well as generate the adaptability. Mutations occurred by transposition can be reversible or irreversible depending upon the type of elements. Transposons are categorized into two groups, the one that makes the replica of DNA through reverse RNA transcriptase and these copies of DNA gets incorporated into new location in the genome and the another is DNA transposons that move via DNA and about 3% of human genome comprise of DNA transposons. These mobile elements encode for the enzyme transposase that initiate the process of transposition and have recognition site (inverted repeats) and target site (integration site). Transposons also carry the genes that are resistance to antibiotics and can move from DNA segment to another.