Understanding the strategies evolved by a very successful transposable element

Prof. Dr. Susan Wessler (University of California Riverside)

24-Feb-2021, 04:00-05:00 (3 years ago)

Abstract: Transposable elements (TEs) achieve high copy numbers through waves of amplification called bursts. For a TE to successfully burst it must be able to significantly increase its copy number without killing its host or being silenced by genome surveillance (epigenetic) mechanisms. However, because the vast majority of TE bursts have been inferred after the fact – via computational analysis of whole genome sequence – the stealth features they require for success have remained largely undiscovered. Some features have recently been discovered by analyzing active bursts of the miniature inverted repeat transposable element (MITE) mPing and its autonomous partner Ping in four strains of domesticated rice (Oryza sativa, temperate japonica). First, mPing targets genic regions but avoids exon sequences, thus minimizing harm to the host. Second, because mPing does not share coding sequences with Ping, increases in its copy number and host recognition of its sequences do not silence Ping genes, thus allowing the continuous production of the proteins necessary to sustain the burst for decades.

Additional insights into the mPing burst comes from analyses of an extensive collection of rice genomes including 3000 domesticated strains and a recombinant inbred population. While the survey of 3000 strains revealed that the burst is very recent and is restricted to a few closely related accessions, analysis of the sequences of 272 recombinant inbred lines demonstrated the potential of mPing to rapidly spread unimpeded through a large population and increase the frequency of structural variations.

biochemistrycancer biologychemical biologycell biologydevelopmental biologydrug discoveryevolutiongeneticsimmunologymolecular biologymicrobiologyneuroscienceplant sciencessystems biologybiotechnologybiological techniquesbiophysics

Audience: researchers in the discipline

( video )

Comments: Organizers can be contacted at m.tariq@lums.edu.pk or 22100032@lums.edu.pk for the zoom link.


Colloquium zooming Molecular & Cellular Biology LUMS

Series comments: Zooming Molecular & Cellular Biology Colloquium was initiated on July 28th, 2020 by the Biology department at Syed Babar Ali School of Science & Engineering (SBASSE), Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS). The series follows through various topics which come under the ambit of Molecular and Cellular Biology and we’ve had the pleasure and honor of hosting some of the most knowledgeable scientists from around the globe. Organizers can be reached out at 24100162@lums.edu.pk or 24100001@lums.edu.pk for the Zoom link of individual talks. All lectures are LIVE streamed on SBASSE's official Facebook page.

Organizers: Prof. Dr. Muhammad Tariq, Salman Tuasene Khawaja*, Hooraina Hassan Siddiqui*, Abdullah Jauhar*
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