How Virus-like ‘Jumping Genes’ Became Our Partners in Evolution
Half of our genome is made of transposons — snips of DNA that can move and copy themselves. But they’re more than parasites or genetic junk. The post How Virus-like ‘Jumping Genes’ Became Our Partners in Evolution first appeared on Quanta Magazine
Résumé
Half of human DNA
Nearly half of the human genome consists of transposable elements (transposons), also called jumping genes because they can move and copy themselves within DNA.
These elements are not static; they can insert into new locations, disrupt genes, or create new genetic variations.
Transposons were first discovered in the 1940s by geneticist Barbara McClintock, who observed color variations in corn kernels caused by these mobile genetic sequences.
Her work, initially met with skepticism, was later recognized with a Nobel Prize in 1983.
Today, transposons are understood to play a significant role in evolution, far beyond being mere genetic parasites.
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