title: The effect of transposable elements on phenotypic variation: insights from plants to humans.
abstract: Transposable elements (TEs), originally discovered in maize as controlling elements, are the main components of most eukaryotic genomes. TEs have been regarded as deleterious genomic parasites due to their ability to undergo massive amplification. However, TEs can regulate gene expression and alter phenotypes. Also, emerging findings demonstrate that TEs can establish and rewire gene regulatory networks by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the key roles of TEs in fine-tuning the regulation of gene expression leading to phenotypic plasticity in plants and humans, and the implications for adaption and natural selection.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Plant Gene Research Center (Beijing), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
authors.forename: Liya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Plant Genomics and National Plant Gene Research Center (Beijing), CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. xfcao@genetics.ac.cn.|Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China. xfcao@genetics.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D014644:Genetic Variation; D018745:Genome, Plant; D006801:Humans; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D010641:Phenotype; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D050436:Regulatory Elements, Transcriptional; D012641:Selection, Genetic
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D018749:RNA, Plant
keywords: gene expression; phenotypic variation; transposable elements