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Diversity and evolution of transposable elements in Arabidopsis

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Abstract

Transposable elements are mobile genetic elements that have successfully populated eukaryotic genomes and show diversity in their structure and transposition mechanisms. Although first viewed solely as selfish, transposable elements are now known as important vectors to drive the adaptation and evolution of their host genome. Transposable elements can affect host gene structures, gene copy number, gene expression, and even as a source for novel genes. For example, a number of transposable element sequences have been co-opted to contribute to evolutionary innovation, such as the mammalian placenta and the vertebrate immune system. In plants, the need to adapt rapidly to changing environmental conditions is essential and is reflected, as will be discussed, by genome plasticity and an abundance of diverse, active transposon families. This review focuses on transposable elements in plants, particularly those that have beneficial effects on the host. We also emphasize the importance of having proper tools to annotate and classify transposons to better understand their biology.

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Abbreviations

Ac/Spm :

Activator/suppressor-mutator

Bs1 :

Barren sterile1

cDNA:

Complementary DNA

CNE:

Conserved non-coding element

DBD:

DNA-binding domain

dsRNA:

Double-stranded RNA

DTE:

Domesticated transposable element

FAR1:

Far-red impaired response 1

FHL:

FHY1-like

FHY1:

Far-red elongated hypocotyl 1

FHY3:

Far-red elongated hypocotyl 3

hAT :

hobo/Ac/Tam

HY5:

Elongated hypocotyl 5

IN:

Integrase

KI :

KAONASHI

LINE:

Long interspersed element

LTR:

Long terminal repeats

MITE:

Miniature inverted transposable element

MULE:

Mutator-like element

MUG:

MUSTANG

ORF:

Open reading frame

PB1:

Phox and Bem1

RdDM:

RNA-directed DNA methylation

RH:

Ribonuclease H

RT:

Reverse transcriptase

SINE:

Short interspersed element

TE:

Transposable element

TIR:

Terminal inverted repeat

TRIM:

Terminal-repeat retrotransposon in miniature

ULP:

Ubiquitin-like protease

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  1. Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Zoé Joly-Lopez & Thomas E. Bureau

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  1. Zoé Joly-Lopez
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Joly-Lopez, Z., Bureau, T.E. Diversity and evolution of transposable elements in Arabidopsis . Chromosome Res 22, 203–216 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10577-014-9418-8

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