Helitrons on a roll: eukaryotic rolling-circle transposons.
Rolling-circle eukaryotic transposons, known as Helitron transposons, were first discovered in plants (Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa) and in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. To date, Helitrons have been identified in a diverse range of species, from protists to mammals. They represent a major class of eukaryotic transposons and are fundamentally different from classical transposons in terms of their structure and mechanism of transposition. Helitrons seem to have a major role in the evolution of host genomes. They frequently capture diverse host genes, some of which can evolve into novel host genes or become essential for helitron transposition.
Kapitonov
Vladimir V
VV
Genetic Information Research Institute, 1925 Landings Drive, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA. vladimir@girinst.org
Jurka
Jerzy
J
D000818:Animals; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D005057:Eukaryotic Cells; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020440:Gene Duplication; D014644:Genetic Variation; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D008957:Models, Genetic
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements